Write and Wrong
by W.M.Hunt
Summary: Isabella Swan is the new English teacher for the reservation of La Push hoping to finally make good use of her education degree. However, she did not anticipate a hot headed, local teenage boy, who also happens to be a werewolf, to imprint on her. Now she has to choose between what she knows is the right decision, and what her heart truly wants. /AU/rated M/future lemons/
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters within the series. _

_This story is basically exploring what would happen if Jacob imprinted on Bella, while she was his high school English teacher and all of the problems that would go with it. Also since this is an "alternate universe" of the Twilight-dom, the ages are different:_

Bella Swan - 23

Sam Uley - 22

Leah Clearwater - 21

Paul Lahote - 20

Jared Cameron - 19

Jacob Black - 19

Quil Ateara - 18

Embry Call - 18

Seth Clearwater - 17

Chapter One

Isabella Swan stood in the entryway of what was to be her new classroom. She took in the peeling paint on the walls and the shabby blackboard that apparently had survived from the fifties. There were five rows of five worn out wooden desks that had been marked by all of the previous students that had sat and listened to their professors. And the floor was faded blue linoleum that reminded her of her favorite pair of jeans that were tucked away in her dresser at her new apartment in town.

It definitely was a fixer-upper, but Isabella Swan did not care. She was fresh from college, had received her education degree in High School English, and she had her first job as a real teacher.

After graduating college at the University of Phoenix, she had decided to take a break from all of the sun and had called her dad inquiring about teaching positions in her second home-town of Forks. Charlie had told her that he hadn't heard anything from the Forks High School, but he had known that the high school on the reservation of La Push was hiring.

That was all it had taken, and she was packing her bags, kissing her mother good bye, and on her way to rainy Washington. Her interview had gone so well that afterward she'd had to convince the Principal Mr. Molina that she wasn't too overqualified and that this job would be perfect for her. At twenty three years old, she was ready to plant her feet and start working immediately.

She'd found a small little apartment in town that was small, and if she was being honest with herself, it was shabby too. But she definitely didn't want to go back to living with her father, no matter how much she loved him.

Only three days earlier she had finally unpacked everything into her new apartment, and now she stood looking into the classroom. Her classroom. She was dressed in a nice fitting navy pencil skirt, and a white blouse that was rolled up to her elbows. She'd opted to wear a nice pair of white heels since it still was before labor day, God forbid she break the rules of fashion, and had brought a navy blazer since the morning had been chilly.

With a happy little smile she stepped into the room and walked around to her medium sized wooden desk. She set down her tan canvas tote bag to the side of it and reached her fingers to skim across the top of the desk. The small squeal of delight couldn't be contained as her happiness bubbled up to the surface. She was a real teacher who was going to have students of her own. And she couldn't wait.

She glanced at the clock which read that it was just about seven o'clock, which mean classes would be starting in half an hour. Walking around the desk she pulled out the wooden chair and brushed off the seat, then sat down on it slowly. Despite the fact that it looked as if it might shatter at the slightest touch it was actually quite sturdy.

Pleased with how things seemed to be going she brought out a stack of the syllabus' she had typed up the night before and looked them over, preparing herself for her students to arrive.

Which they did, eventually.

As the hands of the clock drew closer to seven-thirty she realized that the class was predominantly male. And they were loud.

Out of the twenty five desks set up in the classroom, only four of them were preoccupied with females. Although, one female had planted herself in the lap of a very large and muscular young man. She noticed that a few of the males, instead of having long braided hair, had short jagged hair cuts. As though they had chopped off their hair with a rusty pair of scissors.

That reminded Bella that she needed a haircut soon. She stole another glance at the clock and saw that there was only a few more minutes until the bell rang. She counted the heads of the kids once again and then checked over her roster. There were still two people missing.

The shrill ring of the bell suddenly sounded throughout the room and Isabella stood up from her seat.

"Alright everyone, settle down and take your seats please," she said while walking towards the door that was still open. Just as she reached it, two extremely tall boys came barreling into the room. They didn't even apologize as they basically crash landed into the last two desks available.

"Thank you for joining us, gentlemen. Next time I'd like for it to be before the bell," Isabella said in what she'd hoped sounded like a stern voice, and closed the door for good. She turned and listened to the hushed whispers of her students, and some of the laughter from the males in the room. Her palms began to sweat as she reached the blackboard and picked up a piece of chalk.

"My name, is Ms. Swan," she began while writing her name in swooping cursive letters, "I am the new English teacher, and if you do not belong in grade twelve English, than I suggest you leave now."

She turned back to her desk and saw that no one had left. "Good, when I call your names, please respond saying you're here, and if I get your name wrong, please correct me... Quil Ateara."

"Here." came a deep male voice. Isabella nodded and then continued, checking off the name as she went.

"Joseph Birchman."

"Here." Another check.

"Jacob Black."

"Present." said a voice that seemed to be much too deep for any high school student, but she still checked off the name anyway, keeping her eyes on the paper. She was still a little nervous and didn't want to lose her cool by looking at any of the people that she knew were staring at her.

And so it continued. She called out their names while the rest of the class chattered on about God only knows what. Isabella had no interest in what high schoolers talked about now. As she finally finished checking off the roster she sorted out the papers on her desk and handed them to the girl sitting in the front that she was pretty sure was named Amanda.

"This is the syllabus that we will be using throughout the year. Please pass them around and hand the excess back up to the front. I'd like to start on the back page where you'll find the list of books that we will be reading over the course of the year. It may seem like a lot, but you'll find that we'll be moving quickly in this class. The material isn't too hard, but I also don't know what you've covered before," she said while looking over the list herself. It was some of her own favorite literature.

"Can anyone tell me what you did last year?" She asked since no one had answered her before.

Another girl sitting in the third row raised her hand. Isabella looked and her and nodded, "What's you're name again?"

"I'm Kimberly, but you can call me Kim," she said in a slightly shy voice. Isabella noticed one of the larger boys with short hair smiling at her sweetly. Must be her boyfriend or something, Isabella thought

"Alright Kim, go ahead," Isabella smiled at the timid girl.

"We read The Lord of the Flies, The cask of Amontillado, and we went over a few of Shakespeare's sonnets. I can't remember which ones..." she finished, slightly embarrassed.

Isabella's brows pulled together... That was a very short list. She was beginning to wonder if these kids would be up to her own syllabus or if she would have to modify it. "Alright, we can work with that. Please flip to the front of the page and we'll start to go over some of the personal rules of the classroom."

The sound of flipping pages filled the room and Isabella drew in a breath as she leaned against her desk in front of the students.

"Number one is sort of a no-brainer. Don't be late, please. It's wasting my time as your teacher if you come in late, and it's wasting your time because you won't be learning anything."

"Jacob!" came a muffled voice hidden in a series of loud coughs. Isabella looked up at the coughing boy and arched her eyebrow. Some of the other boys snickered.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Isabella asked firmly. The snickers died out and the boy looked

up at the teacher with a smirk.

"Nothing," he said cheekily. Isabella internally rolled her eyes and reminded herself that these kids were still only eighteen, nineteen at the most.

"Right... Moving on," Isabella continued to go through the list of rules and then moved on to her grading system. "My class will be different in the way that if you do not hand in all of your projects, quizzes or tests throughout the year, you will not pass. Homework will only count as a zero in the gradebook, and you won't fail from not passing in some of the homeworks, but that does not mean that is a free pass for not doing any homework all year." she said sternly and watched as the same smirking young man raised his hand.

"Yes...?" she looked at him while prompting him to tell her his name.

"Yeah, I'm Embry Call, what if we are absent on a day that we take a test?" he asked.

"In that case, if you're absent, I expect you to come in after school or during study hall to take the test within the week after you miss school. After that week I will take off ten points each day you don't take the test."

There was a soft collective groan that rippled through the classroom.

"That isn't fair," the deep voice that Isabella had noticed earlier spoke up.

"I'm sorry Mr. Black, but you're a senior now and college professors don't really care about what's fair and what isn't. I'm helping to prepare you for your future," Isabella said as she skimmed the rest of her syllabus.

"My future is the reservation. I have a lot more things to worry about rather than some stupid test about _fucking_ Shakespeare!" the voice ranted angrily. Isabella jerked at the use of language and looked up sharply from her paper. She sought out the source of the argument and her eyes landed on an irate pair of dark eyes, set into a russet colored face with handsome features.

Isabella felt her heart begin to beat in her ears, but at the moment she chalked it up to being so upset with this boy.

"_Mr. Black_, I will have absolutely no tolerance for that kind of language in my classroom! I have set down these rules of the classroom and I expect them to be followed. Whether or not you choose to go to college is your own choice, but while you are still one of my students you will be expected to follow my rules. _Is that understood_?" Isabella seethed at him while still trying in vain to keep an expression of professionalism. This first day really wasn't going the way she had hoped.

She watched his expression go from one of complete anger, to one of awe. For the longest time he looked as if he was frozen in space, just staring at her.

"Did you hear me, Mr. Black?" she asked again, and just like that the boy snapped out of whatever trance he'd been locked in.

"I heard you," he whispered softly. It was a complete contrast from his voice not only a moment earlier.

"Good," she replied, still somewhat upset at his outburst. And then she watched as he stood abruptly from his chair and crossed the room, almost clipping Amanda in the shoulder as he stalked towards the door of the classroom, "Mr. Black, you can't leave in the middle of a lesson!" Isabella tried to stop him, but it was as if he couldn't hear her.

He opened the door in one swift movement and then slammed it shut behind him so hard that the glass pane on the upper half of the door completely shattered. Isabella's mouth dropped open in shock at the display and she didn't even realize that the two boys, Jared and Embry rushed out of the room after him. They didn't even mind the broken glass across the linoleum. A third boy, the one I remembered as Quil quietly made his way over to her.

"I'm really sorry about all of this," he apologized quietly, and then rushed after the other three boys that had left.

The entire classroom was silent and every student kept their eyes directly on Isabella.

She had no idea what to make of the situation and slowly turned to the rest of her students, at a loss of what to do in this situation.

"If you all could go to the cafeteria, you are dismissed from the class," she said in a robotic voice as she turned back to her desk. She barely heard the rushed footsteps of all of her students leaving. They were probably going to go see if they could find Jacob Black. No doubt every student in the school would hear what had happened before second period.

This definitely was not what Isabella had expected for her first day teaching at La Push. Then again she hadn't anticipated a student like Jacob Black.

* * *

_Leave me a review and let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Sage or any of the characters that belong to it._

_Thank you for the reviews/alerts/faves! I'm glad people are liking the story!_

Chapter Two

For most of Isabella's life it was her understanding that the only people that got called to the principal's office were students. And students that had gotten into trouble to boot!

So why did she feel as though she was being punished as she stood in front of Principal Molina's desk. He was an older man, with long silver hair pulled into a braid behind him, and he scrutinized her thoroughly over the top of his thin framed glasses.

"Sir, I don't quite understand what happened today in that classroom, but I do know that that kind of behavior shouldn't go unpunished!" Isabella remarked to him, trying not to get frustrated as she thought back to Jacob Black's outburst in her first period class.

She had been right in thinking that the entire school would know about the events by second period and all day she'd had kids staring into her classroom through the gaping hole where the frosted glass used to be. Mr. Molina had told her that they would talk after the school day had ended and the janitor had swept up the glass on the ground. And for the rest of the day Isabella seemed to be in a fog as she went over the syllabus in her other classes. She'd prayed that the rest of her day wouldn't be nearly as difficult as her first class.

"Miss Swan, I understand your concern for Mr. Black's actions, but we are not at liberty to do anything about it. Some teenagers just have a bit more difficulty being in such an institution. I've spoken to his father over the summer and I understand that he's under a lot of stress as it is, seeing as he has to also take care of his father who's disabled. He's a young man who can't be blamed for his outbursts," Mr. Molina stated as he tapped the tips of his fingers together, staring at Isabella as if she couldn't quite grasp what he was saying.

Once again Isabella was at a loss for words.

"He _can't_ be blamed for his actions? Of course he can! He was not under the influence when he spoke to me in such an inappropriate way. He was perfectly _aware_ of his actions," she said in what she hoped was a calm voice.

"Miss Swan, you don't seem to understand what I'm saying," Mr. Molina sighed.

"You're right. I don't understand," Isabella stated settling her hands on her hips and giving the man in front of her a stern look.

Mr. Molina rubbed at his eyes under his glasses and then set her with a level gaze.

"Something that you need to understand is that these children are under a lot of scrutiny. They are constantly having to deal with outside forces. Their rituals are being taken away from right in front of their eyes and they are under a lot of strain. There will be many children who won't be able to contain their anger, especially when you, a stranger, and no offense, a white woman comes in and starts telling them what they will have to be doing."

"But I'm their teacher! They're supposed to be learning these things as part of the curriculum so that they can pass their SAT's and go on to college!" Isabella stuttered out. She was in complete shock as to what this man was telling her.

"Yes, I know that, but some of these children won't be going on to college. It would be pointless to expect every child to commit to the level of work you are trying to force on them. They won't be able to follow it, and it won't make any difference in the end. Miss Swan, you'd do well to figure out where exactly your position is, and try not to be over bearing on these kids. That will be all, have a good evening."

And that was it.

Isabella wanted to shout at him. Call him out on his ignorance. Scream about how in the world he managed to become the principal of this school when he didn't even seem to care about the students that he watched over.

She realized that she had been standing in front of the desk still and finally turned on her heel and walked out of Mr. Molina's office. She walked down the short hallway to the front double doors that led to the parking lot. There were a few young boys hanging around outside that gave Isabella a curious look. Of course they knew that she was the crazy English teacher that had made Jacob Black freak out.

Isabella let out a frustrated breath as she walked over to her old Kia Rio and unlocked the door. The car was a piece of shit, but she'd had no other choice considering she'd used all of her money on her apartment, food and new clothes for her job.

Her shit show of a job.

Getting into the car she nearly slammed the door behind her and sat in the drivers seat staring out the window. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess and to top it off it had just begun to rain. Isabella finally pulled out of the parking lot and drove back through the reservation towards the town of Forks.

She felt numb as she pulled into her parking space and grabbed her bag from the passenger seat. She locked her door as she exited the car and walked through the rain to her front door. As soon as she was safe behind the front door, her feelings seemed to assault her mind and she sunk to the floor. Tears spilled from her eyes as sobs wracked her body.

It was an odd sensation seeing as she couldn't entirely pinpoint why she was crying. There was an ache in her chest and she couldn't stop thinking of Mr. Molina's offensive words.

Was it true that the kids wouldn't care about what she said because she was a white woman? Because she didn't belong in their community? She didn't think that was entirely true, otherwise Mr. Molina wouldn't have hired her to begin with. And yet, why did he not give a damn about what happened to his students after they left the high school? It was as if he was giving the kids the realization that they couldn't become anything at all other than a native who lived on the reservation. They were all destined to stay on the reservation in his eyes, and he didn't care for giving them anything other than that to believe in.

And then there was Jacob Black. That poor boy who already had to take care of his father and himself. Isabella knew more about that than anyone else. She'd had to take care of her mother as well as herself while growing up in Phoenix. Her mother who had been so flighty, and had barely even thought to sit down and pay the bills so that they wouldn't loose their power or water supply. Sure, Isabella had been bitter about it growing up, and still was a little, but still, the way that boy had gotten so angry. So irrationally angry at _her._

The tears came harder then, and again Isabella was confused as to why they kept falling. The ache in her chest seemed amplified and grew bigger as every minute passed.

Outside the rain ironically began to fall harder and thunder started to accompany it. It was so loud, and Isabella realized how empty this house felt with just her inside of it. Perhaps she would need to get a cat to keep her company...

Finally she managed to stand herself back up and walk into her small blue bedroom. There was barely enough room to walk around her full sized bed to her white dresser that held all of her neatly folded clothes. She slowly undressed from the restrictive blouse and skirt, and kicked off her heels without falling over. She took out her silver earrings and unlatched her bra. She almost moaned at the feeling of letting the girls go free.

Despite the fact that she was a small girl, she definitely wasn't stick skinny. She had a C cup bra size and her hips were shapely as a woman's ought to be. She was a petite girl, and by no means fat, but she was absolutely no super model.

She slipped into a clean pair of black cotton panties and threw on a soft heather gray t-shirt with a pair of black calf socks. Throwing her hair into a messy bun, she picked up her dirty clothes and tossed them into the hamper next to her dresser. She then snatched the heavy, white cable-knit blanket from the foot of her bed and wrapped it around her shoulders as she walked back towards her kitchen.

Her hand unconsciously reached up to rub her chest where she felt the ache inside of her. It was a strange feeling that she'd honestly never recalled having before. Perhaps it was just because of the entirely stressful day she had endured.

With a sigh she took down a white mug from her sparse cabinet and filled her kettle with some water, setting it on the stove to boil. In the meantime, she sat at the kitchen table, her hands folded under her chin as she thought over everything once again.

Now that she thought back on it, the events of the day seemed to have happened so quickly, although during, they had felt excrutiatingly drawn out. Shaking her head, she wondered what she would do for the rest of the four days that she had to work. For the first time since college she found herself wishing for the weekend to hurry to meet her.

The high pitched whistle of the tea kettle blared through the kitchen and Isabella poured the steam water over her tea bags in her white mug. Once it was finished she sat back at the table and held the warm cup in the both of her hands. The reddish color of her tea made her think of Jacob Black's russet colored face twisted in anger. Her own gut twisted at the memory and the ache sharpened in her chest, making her draw in a deep breath.

Perhaps it would be better if she just watched some mindless TV.

In her tiny living room she settled on the comfy gray loveseat she'd bought after moving to Forks, and settled her blanket over her body. Flicking on the television she settled on some pointless drama series, hoping that the over dramatic problems of the characters on screen would distract her from her own dilemmas.

She managed to watch three episodes of whatever show was on, when she had finally finished her tea. Looking at the clock on her cable box she realized that it was already ten o'clock. Had that much time honestly passed? It hadn't felt like it.

Standing up, she stretched her legs and put away her mug into the sink. Wrapped up in her blanket she made her way back to her room, turning off the lights as she went. As she settled into her bed, underneath her quilted white comforter she lay in the darkness and listened to the rain against the roof. As the ache in her chest grew impossibly larger, so did her dread for the next day of her new job.

-8-

The next morning, Isabella sat in her old Kia Rio in the parking lot of La Push High School for at least fifteen minutes. For a long while she just stared at the entrance to the school, watching some of the kids enter. She wouldn't admit it, but she was looking specifically for Jacob Black... And she was mentally preparing herself for the day ahead. It wasn't until she caught sight of the clock and realized that her class would be starting in only ten minutes that she drew in a deep breath and got out of the car.

"I'm a grown woman! I have nothing to be nervous about! I didn't do anything wrong," she whispered to herself, hoping that her pep talk would soothe her nerves. However she found her anxiety level flying through the roof the closer she got to her classroom. As she reached for the doorknob she breathed in deeply and pulled her head up high, trying to at least look the part of the adult she was supposed to be.

Walking into the room, it seemed as though the entire class went silent at her entrance. Isabella hoped that the kids would at least be easier to teach today.

After setting down her tote bag beside her desk again she reached into it and pulled out one of the text books inside of it as well as her folder full of lesson plans.

"Good morning class," she said in what she hoped was a steady voice. Her hands were shaking as she pulled out the roster and a red pen to mark everyone in class.

"Quil Ateara." she said softly, praying that the boy wouldn't be in class. If he was there, then that probably meant that her friend would be too.

"Here." came the reply that made Isabella's stomach twist in knots.

"Jo-Joseph Birchman?" Isabella stammered slightly and swallowed nervously, afraid to even look at the next name on the list.

"Here."

Isabella paused for a moment and tried to steady her quivering.

"Jacob Black." she finally called out.

Silence.

Isabella looked up from her paper in surprise, scanning the room for the angry Jacob Black. But all she saw was an empty desk where he should have sat. There was an immediate sense of relief that she felt wash through her, but it disappeared as quickly as it came and she felt the ache inside of her rib cage reappear.

She tried to ignore it as she continued with the roster. Everyone else was here. Except for Jacob Black. Something about that made her uneasy. Where was he? Had he gotten into trouble with Mr. Molina? Maybe he'd stayed home because he was afraid of her. Millions of scenarios passed through her head but she trudged on with her lesson as she'd planned.

Somehow she was able to find comfort as she began her lesson on The Scarlet Letter. Literature had been her friend throughout most of her life and she felt at ease reading over the words that she'd read many times before. Although, not many of the students seemed to be as interested in it as she was. But that didn't mean that she wasn't still determined to make these students just as interested as she was.

After her first period class was dismissed she prepared for her second class of the day and briefly wondered if Jacob Black would show up for any of his other classes. Maybe he was just avoiding her class out of fear of what she might say to him.

But she was wrong, because Jacob Black didn't go to any of his classes that day.

And he didn't show up on Wednesday.

Or the day after that.

Or the day after that...

* * *

_Leave me some thoughts :) Thanks for reading!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight saga or any of its characters._

_Wow! I can't believe how much people are liking this story! Thanks so much for giving me your feedback and telling me what you like and thanks for favoriting/ putting the story on your alerts! Also, I'm sorry for any mistakes in any of the chapters, they are mine alone and I try to proof read as well as I can, but I miss some thing sometime. Okay, I'll stop talking now! _

Chapter Three

By the time Saturday rolled around, Isabella felt as though she had come down with the worst cold in the world. Her head kept pounding, and her chest ached continuously. She just could not get comfortable, and forget about sleeping. She'd barely slept for even a few hours combined in the last three days. It definitely didn't help that Jacob Black had yet to return to her classroom.

On Wednesday, when he hadn't showed up for the second day in a row, she had been a little nervous but she'd brushed it off as him possibly being sick. However on Thursday she'd sought out Mr. Molina and asked him to make a house call to see if Jacob was just not coming into class. In response Mr. Molina had told her that Jacob's father had said that Jacob was in fact sick and wouldn't be able to make it for the rest of the week. But something still didn't sit right with Isabella.

Jacob's friends Jared, Embry, and Quil all still came to class, but they seemed very tense and reserved. They hardly seemed to be paying attention, but not because they were talking. In fact it was the opposite. They had barely said a word in class unless Isabella had prompted them with a surprise question on the material they were covering. Isabella was worried and even asked Quil if anything was wrong or if she could help. He'd given her a sad little smile and replied that there was nothing she could do, but it was greatly appreciated.

It was at that time that she'd realized how tall those boys actually were. All three of them were at least six feet, possibly a little more. And their bodies looked nothing like what a nineteen or eighteen year old's should have. They looked like twenty five year old men sitting in her class. And all of them had interesting exotic features. They were all handsome in their own way, no matter how inappropriate it was for her to think something like that about her students, it didn't mean it wasn't true.

But after her stressful week at work she found herself laying on her couch cuddled underneath her cable knit blanket trying to will away the awful feeling of sickness that had shrouded her. On the small side table beside the couch she heard the phone ring, loud and shrilly. With a soft groan Isabella reached for the phone and pressed it to her ear.

"Hello?" she asked in a gravelly voice.

"Isabella?" came the voice of her father on the other end.

"Hey, dad. What's up?" she asked again while trying to take a deep breath. It only made her chest ache more.

"You sound like shit, Isabella. You sick or something?"

"Yeah... I don't know where it came from. And it's not a cold. I just feel congested or something... Anyway. Why'd you call?" she asked finally.

"Can't a man call his daughter to check up on him?" Charlie asked innocently.

Isabella rolled her eyes, "Yeah... Okay. What do you want?" she joked.

"I was just wondering what you were up to next weekend? I was thinking about have a small barbeque for labor day weekend. What'ya think?"

"Is this your subtle way of asking me to bring food to your house?" Isabella laughed slightly although it sounded ugly.

"That's exactly what this is. So is that a yes?" Charlie asked hopefully. Isabella thought for a moment and knew that it wasn't like she wasn't going to have anywhere else to be that day.

"Yeah, that's a yes. I'll bring some pasta salad and a dessert, is that okay?"

"That'll be fine. Just make a couple extra servings. My old friend Billy is going to come and some of the boys from La Push will probably show up too. It's like they have a radar for food."

Isabella froze, wondering about which boys would be coming to her father's house exactly. She knew that it would be totally inappropriate for her to be spending time outside of school with any of her students, but before she could answer Charlie spoke again.

"Alright, well I've gotta get to work, but I'm looking forward to next weekend. Try to get some sleep or something so you don't get everyone else sick at the barbeque, alright?"

"Yeah, dad. I'll try my hardest not to give your friends the plague," Isabella responded tartly.

"Oh lighten up, kid. I'll talk to you later," Charlie laughed lightly.

"Okay... Bye, dad."

She hung up the phone and let it drop to the ground with a thud as she curled up on her side and shuddered. Her apartment was absolutely freezing despite the fact that she had turned up the heat. It was probably busted and she'd have to shell out more money to fix it. God dammit. Coming to Forks was just not going the way she had hoped it would, in any way at all. There were just so many things going wrong.

After another hour of restlessly tossing and turning on the couch Isabella got up and found two Nyquil pills in her kitchen and swallowed them with a glass of water. She trudged back to the couch, but not before turning up the heat just a little bit more. The needle said that it was eighty degrees in her apartment, but it felt like it was the North Pole. She flopped unceremoniously back onto the couch and wrapped herself in her thick blanket hoping that the pills would at least kick in soon...

-8-

_She was running through the woods. She'd never been a very fast runner, but she couldn't even see the trees around her because they were all a blur._

_The ache in her chest was maximized tenfold and she felt as though she was about to split in half from the sheer pain of it. She continued to run, the feeling that coursed through her body was one of pure hope. Hope that she hadn't lost... Something. She couldn't quite remember what it was she was hoping she hadn't lost, but she knew that it was monumental. It was important. It was everything._

_Suddenly the woods disappeared and she found herself standing at the edge of the field. Across the field on the other edge, standing in the shadows of the trees was an enormous wolf. Despite the fact that it was semi-hidden in the darkness she could see it clear as day. And as soon as her eyes ran over that wolf, the feeling in her chest dissipated completely. She could feel it in her bones. She felt better._

_The eyes of the wolf suddenly met her own and the scenery suddenly changed. She was no longer on the edge of a field. She was in her classroom, but there was only one student sitting at his desk. It was one Jacob Black. He looked her over with his deep, dark eyes and her body felt hot all over. It felt as though he had touched every intimate and hidden part of her just by looking into her eyes._

_Without speaking he stood up from his seat and walked over to the door of the classroom._

_"Jacob. Don't leave again," she said in a strangled voice, hardly aware of speaking until she heard the words leave her mouth. She could feel tears rolling down her cheek, as the ache in her chest started to throb at the thought of him walking through that door and disappearing again. The boy turned around and looked her straight in the eye again. There were so many emotions roiling behind the dark color of those eyes. He seemed torn by what to do. His hand stayed firmly on the doorknob, but his eyes looked like he wanted nothing more than to stay..._

-8-

Isabella woke up with a jerk. Her breathing was ragged and sunlight streamed into her bedroom through the curtainless windows. For a moment she tried to remember what she'd been dreaming about, but couldn't conjure anything to the forefront of her mind. She squinted to see what time it was on her clock. When she said that it was already noon, she groaned and pulled the blankets above her head in a childish way.

She'd slept for fifteen hours, and tomorrow she had to go back to work again. Just as she did back in college, she was beginning to hate Sundays. Pulling the blanket off of her head she rolled out of bed and walked towards the kitchen.

Looking into her fridge she saw that there was barely any food inside of it. Who knew that one person could go through groceries so quickly. Shaking her head she settled for making a cup of tea and started making some toast. As she waited for them to both be done she realized that the ache in both her head and her chest had diminished down to something much more tolerable.

"At least I'm getting better," she muttered to herself. There was at least one good thing happening to her. The last thing she needed was to get so sick that she already had to take a day off of again, maybe she should take a day off, then maybe Jacob Black wouldn't have to miss anymore school. At this rate he was going to have a hard enough time catching up to the rest of the class, and the school year was only beginning.

Sighing, Isabella tried to put all of that out of her mind. She didn't need any more thoughts like that to ruin her day. She decided that she should occupy herself with some cooking today.

After finishing her skimpy breakfast she went back to her room and grabbed one of her towels. The bathroom across the hall from her bedroom was even smaller, with barely enough room to fit all of the necessities in it. The sink was even leaning over the toilet a bit so she had to lean over while she relieved herself. Not to mention the water pressure was something akin to being beaten by sticks. By the end of her quick shower she was pink all over from the beating the water had given her.

She dressed in a simple pair of dark jeans with a white long sleeve. She pulled on her worn in pair of riding boots that her mother had handed down to her after she thought that the fad had gone out of style, and braided her long wet hair down her back so that it wouldn't drip and make her shirt see-through. Grabbing her purse and her keys from the living room she threw on her plain black rain jacket and headed out the door.

It was raining, of course, as she got into her car and blasted the heat. It was just cold enough to make her skin prickle. She was thankful that the grocery store wasn't too far from her apartment and that there weren't so many cars in the parking lot.

She walked into the store and grabbed a cart and began her search for the items on her mental list. She knew that she was going to be making a pasta salad and a dessert. She had settled on simply making cookies for the dessert, but Charlie had told her that she'd have to make an extremely excess amount. When she found herself standing in the "Baking Needs" aisle, she stared at the sacks of flour and sugar, and wondered how much she'd need.

"Hey, it's Miss Swan," came a voice at the end of the aisle. Isabella looked up and saw that two of her students, Quil and Embry were both standing there. They didn't look as solemn or nervous as they had during the school week.

"Hello boys, how are you?" Isabella asked them with a small smile, thankful that they were warming up to her. They walked into the aisle to where she stood, and she was once again stunned by just how tall and mature these boys really looked.

"We're good. Just picking up some stuff for my mom. She says that the store on the rez doesn't have the stuff she needs," Embry said as he looked down at a scrap of paper in his hand.

"Oh, that's kind of you boys," she replied, trying not to be rude as she looked for a size of flour that would be suitable.

"So what are you going to make, Miss Swan?" Quil asked her as she looked back to them, almost surprised that they hadn't escaped yet. It was as if they didn't mind associating with their English teacher in public.

"Oh, um... My dad is having some kind of barbeque next weekend so I offered to make some desserts for everyone..." she said while waving her hand at the assortment of baking supplies.

"You're father is Officer Swan, right? The chief here in Forks?" Quil asked and Isabella nodded carefully. What if her students were some kind of stalkers and they were going to use this information against her? "Oh, that's cool. I know that Billy is really good friends with him. And if you're making desserts for everyone? I'd probably get the biggest bag of flour you can find."

Both of the boys shared a snicker of laughter, and then Embry looked over his shoulder, he then hit Quil on the shoulder with a smack that made Isabella jump slightly.

"Right, well, we have to go. We'll see you tomorrow!" Embry smiled at her and both boys scurried away. Isabella stared after them, slightly confused about the interaction they had just shared. Those boys had barely said one word during the week and now they were offering her advice on which flour bag to buy? Isabella shook her head in confusion and proceeded to grab three of the larger bags of flour and sugar that she found on the shelf. She snagged a few bags of chocolate chips and some other necessary items from the aisle. Afterward she went through the store and bought some cereal for her mornings and some milk and eggs, fruit and vegetables and some things she could use for dinners throughout the week. It was much harder shopping for just one person than someone might think...

She checked out finally and wheeled her cart out to her car through the drizzling rain. As she put them into the trunk she felt as though someone was watching her, although when she looked around the parking lot there was no one else around. And instead of getting that gut feeling that she was in danger, she felt no such feeling. Instead she finished up quickly and jumped into her car, cranking up the heat and making her way quickly back to her apartment.

Once she had gotten all of her groceries into her kitchen she stripped off her jacket and unzipped her boots so she wouldn't get her floor all wet. Putting away all of her groceries she made herself a nice grilled cheese for her lunch and then sat down at the tiny kitchen table to grade some of the homework she had gotten from her first week.

Most of the answers on the homeworks were pathetic, if she was being honest. There was only a handful of students that had actually read the pages she had assigned in The Scarlet Letter, and the rest of them hadn't even attempted to do some of the questions. A knot formed in her stomach as she thought about how difficult the rest of this year would be. Especially when these kids had absolutely no motivation to do well in their classes.

She cried again that night. Thinking about how she should just call in sick tomorrow morning. After all, the ache in her chest hadn't completely gone away yet. She cried because she knew that no matter what she did, these kids wouldn't think any differently of their future. She cried because she felt as though coming to Forks was a complete mistake. And she cried because she was still unsure of what had happened to Jacob Black. She wasn't sure if she wanted him to come back to her class more or if she wanted to avoid him completely.

* * *

_Leave me your thoughts on the chapter! Thanks for reading!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight saga or any of its characters._

_Many thanks to all of the people who took some time to give me feedback! It means a lot to me! Enjoy the chapter!_

Chapter Four

On Monday morning, Isabella walked sluggishly around her apartment. She'd showered, and spent way too long under the hot water just thinking about things. She'd woken up abruptly again this morning, still unsure of what she had been dreaming of. She blow dried her long brown hair and slipped into a beige pencil skirt with a silky cream colored peplum shirt, and a pair of nude heels. For once, when she looked outside of her windows she saw that it wasn't raining. That didn't mean that it was sunny, but at least she wouldn't have to worry about getting wet while walking to the school from her car. She packed up everything into her tote bag and walked out the door with her chin held high.

The drive onto the reservation was peaceful, but Isabella was still extremely nervous of what the day would hold. As she pulled into the parking lot at seven o'clock she got out of the car with shaking hands and walked into the small school. Her heels clicked as she walked down the hall and she couldn't help but feel jumpy as she opened the door to her classroom. As the door opened she nearly let out a scream, but still jumped backwards and dropped her bag on the floor spilling its entire contents.

There, sitting inside of the classroom was none other than, Jacob Black.

Isabella's hand flew to her chest where she felt her heart pounding like a galloping horse as she stared at her student who'd been missing the entire week past. She watched his eyes grow wide as he swiftly moved out of his chair and moved towards her quickly. He did not look like a teenager in that moment; he looked like a man. A tall, muscular man, with deep russet colored skin, raven colored hair and eyes like an abyss.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he said in a soft, regretful voice that made Isabella's speeding heart start to calm. His voice was deep and soothing over her nerves. She kept her eyes on him as he bent down from his enormous height and began to gather up the papers that had spilled out of her bag. She realized she had been standing there like an idiot and she immediately dropped down to her knees and helped to pick up the items on the ground.

"It's alright, I just wasn't expecting anyone in the classroom so early," Isabella replied, her voice slightly breathless from her scare. She saw him looking at her out of the corner of her eye and she quickly gathered all of the papers up. She stuffed them into her bag once again and stood up. Jacob stood as well, and she physically had to tip her head back to see his face. His eyes were trained on her face, and Isabella felt her skin heat up with a blush.

"Here you go," he said in the same soft voice again. She realized that he was holding out some papers for her to take.

"Thank you," she whispered, looking back at the papers in his hand and reaching to grab them. Without meaning to, the tips of her fingers brushed on his own hand and she felt as though an electric current had passed through her body, though without the pain. Her eyes widened, but she kept them down, not wanting to meet Jacob Black's penetrating gaze once again.

This was so unprofessional! Isabella thought to herself as she walked around Jacob Black and towards her desk at the front of the classroom.

"So, why did you come so early?" Isabella asked as she tried to reorganize all of the papers that had fallen, ignoring the way that her heart fluttered inside of her ribcage. She barely heard him walk up to her desk, but rather felt his body looming above her own. She had to control the odd shiver that went down her spine at the close proximity of her student. Her thoughts were clamped down on tightly before she could think anything else that was so incredibly inappropriate.

"I came to apologize for my actions last week. They were completely unacceptable, and I am sorry for what I said," Jacob said levelly in his soothing voice. Isabella looked up into the russet colored, handsomely featured face. There was no doubt that he was a handsome boy, with high cheekbones and a straight nose, and lips that looked... No! Isabella stopped herself. She would not start to think of her student as attractive. If she was that desperate for male company, then she would go on a dating website before she ever thought about a student that way.

"I accept your apology, Jacob, and I know that you are under a lot of stress already," she said to him sympathetically and watched as his eyes grew wide with confusion.

"You do?" his voice was in disbelief. The poor boy didn't know that Mr. Molina had told her.

"Yes, I understand how hard it is for you to have to take care of both your father and yourself," she said slowly, hoping not to make him angry again with her knowledge, but instead he looked slightly relieved.

"Right, yeah... It can be pretty stressful, I guess," he replied, nodding his head. Isabella looked him over and nodded herself.

"Just know, that if you need any help studying for tests, or if you have any questions you can always stay after school or come during study hall for help. And if you feel like you need an extension you just have to tell me why and I'll see what I can manage, alright?" she asked him with a smile. She could see his eyes trained on her mouth and she felt another involuntary shiver spiral down her spine. She watched his own mouth curve up into a brilliant smile as well.

"Sure, sure. That's really helpful, actually. Thank you, Isa- I mean... Ms. Swan," he caught himself before he used her given name. Isabella nodded and was happy he hadn't called her by her first name. She didn't want to awkwardly explain that it was inappropriate for him to call her that.

Jacob turned and walked back to his desk in the second row and sat down, getting out his textbook and a notebook. Isabella smiled to herself as she turned around to begin writing today's notes on the board. She was very pleased that he'd come back to class and that there was seemingly no ill feelings he held against her. She knew that would make things run much smoother throughout the year.

After all of the students had filed into the classroom and Isabella had taken attendance the lesson had started as usual. And as usual, the same two hands rose up for every question she asked.

"Okay, someone other than Kim and Amanda, please answer why they think that Hester's punishment is either fair or unfair," Isabella finally sighed. She held her book open in her hand as she tried to lead a discussion on Hester's new life with her child. She looked out across the classroom and saw that nobody had yet to raise their hands at all. For some reason her eyes sought out the eyes of Jacob Black. And while she should have felt frustrated at the kids, after she had seen his eyes looking straight back at her, a sense of calm had washed over her and she suddenly shut her book.

"Alright. We're going to do something different. Everyone stand up and line up against the wall over there," Isabella said as she ripped out a clean sheet of paper from her notebook on her teaching desk. She began to scrawl across the page, as she heard all of the students shuffle towards the back of the room. They were wondering if they were going to be punished or something of the like. But instead of yelling at them for their lack of participation, Isabella ripped out the piece of paper and turned around to face her students. She could feel her body turning towards a specific male that stood against the wall, but she managed to keep her eyes off of him... At least for the time being.

"Amanda can you step forward?" Isabella said as she walked towards them. They did as she asked and she handed her piece of the paper she had written on. The students saw now that there was a bold "F" written on the paper. "Joseph can you step forward as well? And... Embry, you too."

With her three chosen students standing in front of her she began explaining herself, "Since you are all having a hard time grasping what a big deal the letter "A" means in this book, I'm going to make it a bit more modern. Amanda, has been caught cheating on her test. Joseph was the teacher, and Embry was the one that gave her the answer key. However, Amanda had thought that Joseph wouldn't be coming back into the room at all, so when he appeared and asked what she was doing she had no choice but to show him the answer key. Although, she said that she had stole it herself because we all know that Embry has a big football scholarship that he can't afford to lose," she explained to them and the class let out a few laughs. "The rest of you, all believed that Amanda was truly the person that stole the answer key, and so you all stay away from her because, who want's to be associated with someone who cheats?" Isabella asked. "What can Amanda do to fix this?"

"She can tell the rest of us that it was actually Embry," said another boy in the class named Henry. Isabella shook her head.

"Nope. Embry is the golden boy. He can do absolutely no wrong in your eyes. No one would believe Amanda that it was Embry. Also, he's so important to the football team that everyone would hate her if she made him get into trouble... Not to mention Joseph is keeping a very sharp eye on her because he has a suspicion that she is lying about where she got the answer key. So how can Amanda fix this?" Isabella asked again and watched for a few minutes as her students argued back and forth over what could be done about this situations. Finally Jacob Black spoke up.

"Nothing can be done. Unless Embry steps forward himself everyone will just blame Amanda... There's nothing that she can do to help herself, no matter how unfair it is," he said, maintaining intense eye contact with Isabella for the duration of his speech. Isabella stood still for a moment and then nodded, a small smile on her lips. She felt irrationally proud of him for grasping the concept of what she was trying to teach them.

"That's right, Jacob. Good job," she smiled at him and he beamed back at her with a sunny smile that made her heart skip a beat in her chest.

Suddenly the shrill bell that signaled the end of first period rang, causing Isabella to jump in surprise.

"Okay everyone! I want you all to read the rest of chapter four and all of chapter five for thursday and tomorrow we'll go over some of the vocab words I assigned on friday for you to study. Have a good day!" she said as the students rushed to their desks to collect their things.

Isabella returned to her desk at the front and sat down behind it, putting away her senior English lesson plan and pulling out her second period Sophomore lesson plan. She'd thought that everyone had gone when she looked up from her papers and jumped at the sight of Jacob Black looming over her desk directly in front of her.

He seemed to smile a bit at her reaction to him, but she ignored it and shoved down the tingling heat that enveloped her body suddenly.

"Is there something I can help you with, Jacob?" Isabella asked him with a smile. She felt as though she couldn't do anything other than smile at his face.

"Well I have to get to second period right now, but is it alright if I come after school for some extra help? I'm still a little lost since I missed some days last week," he said, almost sounding embarrassed at how he hadn't appeared in class last week. Isabella looked over his handsome face again and found her eyes somehow wandering down the expanse of his neck and into his broad shoulders that were covered in a tan long sleeve. He looked like he had some serious muscle definition underneath that shirt... No! No! No! Isabella felt her face flush as she realized she had once again been ogling her student.

Her eyes slid back up to Jacob's face and she was positive that he had noticed her blatant staring.

"Actually, I have a meeting tonight after school, but I'd be happy to help you tomorrow or during study hall," she said steadily watching as he eyes roamed her own face. However instead of feeling as though it was inappropriate for him to look at her in such a curious way, she felt a certain satisfaction at his attention. If she were a cat she'd be purring at the attention he was paying her, and that was wrong on so many levels.

"I think I can come in tomorrow, hopefully," he said with a heavy voice as his eyes continued to blaze into her own.

"Alright, I look forward to it," she said with a nod, then realized what she said, "I mean... Uh, it'll be good to see you then, I mean... That's not what I meant."

"It's okay, Isabella, I look forward to it too," Jacob said with his beaming smile, and before she could chastise him for using her first name, he strode out of the classroom.

Isabella slumped back in her chair and blew out a deep breath. There was no use in denying the fact that she was attracted to Jacob Black. Now she just had to learn how to contain it so that it didn't make things awkward.

Into the empty space of the classroom she only whispered one word.

_"Dammit."_

* * *

_Jacob has finally reappeared! I'm sure you're all relieved! ;) Leave me your thoughts if you care to! Thanks for reading!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight saga or any of its characters._

_Many thanks to all of the people who took some time to give me feedback! It means a lot to me! Enjoy the chapter!_

Chapter Five

When Isabella awoke on Tuesday morning she remembered exactly what she'd dreamt of that night. And to say she was embarrassed would be an understatement.

Not only had she'd dreamt of Jacob Black, but she'd dreamt of having sex with him. And to her absolute horror, it had been better than any sex she'd ever had in the real world. Of course she'd had a few sexual encounters throughout her life. Two to be exact. The first had been with her high school sweetheart Adam Allegretta. It had been an awkward jumble of limbs and not quite knowing what to say, and when it had finally been over, there had just been one long sequence of awkward silence. Not surprisingly, they had broken up not long after that.

The second person she'd had sex with was a boy she'd befriended in college. He was a sweet kid named Liam Kendall, and it had been much better than the first time. Liam had had many more partners than she had, or so he'd said, and while she had exactly... reached orgasm... it hadn't been completely terrible for her. He'd at least had the decency to give her oral on another "sleepover" they'd had... Although it hadn't been very adept... More like a general sweeping of his tongue and maybe a few sharp pokes with the tip of it.

Either way, neither of those experiences had left her with the same burning, aching, wanton feeling that raced through her veins like a drug. She couldn't even think about her dream without feeling as though she was about to combust with sexual frustration.

Every part of it had seemed so incredibly real. His skin had burned under her touch, and his lips had marked a trail along her body that she could still remember, even in her waking hours. His deep, oil spot eyes had penetrated her very soul as his large hands grasped her safely in his arms. The muscles under his skin bunched and coiled, just as the spring did within her abdomen. His words spoke in a husky voice as pure lust flowed into her ears and drove her closer to the climax she was seeking. And then just as his teeth sunk into the soft flesh of her shoulder, her body arching into the firm lines of his own and her insides were coiled so tightly like a spring, her alarm clock had sounded, unwelcome and blaring in her ear.

Her eyes snapped open and she found herself, not under the russet colored, incredibly muscled body of her student Jacob Black, but rather in her bed of her shabby apartment, all alone.

All alone, and completely embarrassed. She had gone for so long without having sex that her subconscious had grabbed at the chance to torture her with the most attractive man... boy... that she'd seen in awhile. And that boy happened to be one that she'd have to look at all day today... and every other weekday for the rest of the school year.

Isabella groaned angrily at how her own mind was betraying her. She rolled out of her bed and stormed into the bathroom to take a quick shower. Once she had gotten dressed into yet another pencil skirt, this time in a charcoal gray color and a modest aqua colored button down shirt as well as a pair of gray flats. She barely did anything with her hair and only stopped in the kitchen to get a travel mug filled with coffee before walking out the front door.

For the entirety of her trip to the reservation she'd had the radio turned up loud as she sang along to the music. She would stop at nothing to try and distract her mind from mulling over the details of the dream she'd had last night. But she could not shake the unmistakable blazing heat that spread up her spine every time she thought of Jacob Black.

After arriving at the school she realized just how early she was, but she didn't care. She'd do some cleaning up around the room perhaps, get her mind off of things. The halls were quiet as she walked towards her classroom. She took in the emptiness of it, but quickly found her eyes draw to the desk where... No! Isabella stopped herself mid-thought. She sincerely hoped that her entire day would not be like this. A constant scolding on her mind for betraying her vow not to think of any of her students in a sexual way.

Isabella sighed and brought out her worn out copy of The Scarlet letter and her folder of lesson plans. She'd hoped to go over some vocabulary words, but maybe if-

"Hello?" asked a deep voice from behind her. Her breath stopped, as she froze. That voice. The voice that had whispered unspeakable things against her skin in her dream world. The voice that soothed her nerves and ignited a fire within her core. Isabella still didn't turn around, but she felt him walk up behind her. It was like a radar. She could feel his body heat from where he stood, her whole body quivered with the need to lean into it. She even swore to herself that she could hear his heartbeat.

"Are you okay?" he asked her again, and for a moment she lost complete control of her body. Her eyes closed as she melted into the sound of his voice. Her head felt devoid of oxygen and she gripped the edge of the desk in front of her as she swayed on her feet. And that was when it happened.

She felt Jacob Black's hands grasp her arm and settle on her waist to steady her. But so much more happened in that moment than just him steadying her.

Isabella's entire body hummed at the burning touch of Jacob's hands finally on her body. Every memory of her dream from that night flashed through her mind, and her breath left her lungs in a soft strangled sound, more closely related to a moan than Isabella was willing to admit. She heard Jacob's breathing come in a ragged inhale, as his hands tightened on her arm and waist, though not in a painful way. She wanted him to hold her tighter. To pull him against her, and never let go. She wanted him to take her... She wanted...

"Isabella? Are you alright?" Jacob whispered into her ear and she was suddenly pulled back into her body aggressively. She was slammed back into the moment and consequently ripped herself away from Jacob as fast as she could. He let her go immediately and she whipped around to stare at him with wild eyes. His eyes met her own, burning with lust as they roamed over her face and she had to physically control her body from running back into his arms.

They didn't speak. There were no words that could be said to possibly recover from what had just happened. For Isabella it was because she couldn't bring herself to admit that she had loved every second. Her breathing would not slow down as she continued to gaze at Jacob's handsome face. And he was very handsome. That was something she could not ignore.

"Good morning, Ms. Swan!" came a chipper voice that surprised both Isabella and Jacob and interrupted their stare down. Isabella looked at the girl Amanda that had just walked in. She was sure that she looked like a deer caught in the headlights and Amanda looked at her curiously.

"Oh, good morning, Amanda," Isabella finally said, realizing that she'd stared at the poor girl for longer than was socially acceptable. Amanda nodded, and continued to her desk, probably wondered why her teacher was acting like a complete idiot. Isabella looked back at Jacob, who was still staring at her with an intensity that should have made her uncomfortable, but only made her want to take him back to her apartment.

She suddenly whipped around and snapped her eyes down to her desk, picking up her book and flipping to the marked page. She needed a distraction. She had already broken her number one rule, and she was overstepping so many boundaries that both she had made, and were set down by the school she was employed by. While she completely avoided looking up as the rest of the classroom filled up, she could feel Jacob's eyes watching her. The tell-tale shiver rolled up her spine, but she felt as though his gaze was not strictly sexual... It felt protective. Or perhaps she was so deluded and going completely insane for thinking that a nineteen year old boy would actually care for her. At the most he had kind of fantasy involving a teacher.

Oh God, there was probably a ruler involved in it, Isabella thought with a shiver. She couldn't differentiate whether or not it was a shiver of disgust or a shiver of unadulterated pleasure.

Isabella vaguely heard the rest of the class quiet down after the bell rang, and she began to take attendance. When she got to Jacob's name she stared at the name and paused.

"Jacob Black," she murmured, her voice almost betraying the sigh that she wanted to release as his name spilled over her lips.

"Present," came the reply, and Isabella felt her body burst into flame as she could almost feel the timbre of his voice. It was a voice of pure sex. There was no other way to describe it.

She heard another male voice murmur something, and a noise that sounded like a low rumbling. Like a growl. She looked up from her paper to see that Jacob was now glaring at Embry, who looked very nervous now.

"Is there a problem, boys?" Isabella asked while planting a hand on her hip. She kept her eyes on Embry, determined not to get ensnared in Jacob's deep gaze once again.

"No, Ms. Swan," Embry said, looking at her quickly.

"Good," she nodded and then continued on with the attendance.

Soon after she found herself struggling to teach her first period class. Twice she'd tried stuttering her way through reading a few pages of The Scarlet Letter. After the second time she'd given up and told the kids to just read and take notes on a chapter about grammar in their textbooks.

She sat behind her desk and began to grade more work from her students, ever aware of the burning feeling that flowed through her like lava. She felt as though she had been doused in gasoline and lit with a match. Said match would have been Mr. Jacob Black's touch.

The hour seemed to drag on agonizingly slow. She constantly peeked up at clock above the door of her classroom only to find that after what had felt like half an hour had actually only been five minutes. She tried singing some different catchy pop songs in her head. She tried reciting some of her favorite poetry. She tried to remember the recipes that she had been taught by her grandmother. She tried anything to occupy her mind and keep the thoughts of a Jacob Black out of her head.

And throughout the entire hour, nothing worked.

When the bell finally rang she felt as though a weight had been lifted off of one shoulder, and another had been placed on the opposite. She was glad that she might be able to actually concentrate on teaching her next class, but the disappointment that she would not see Jacob for the rest of the day was both disturbing and heavy in her mind.

"No homework tonight," she called out as a last minute thought and heard the relieved sigh of many of her students. Perhaps she had been working them too hard with the amount of work she'd given out. Her eyebrows pulled together as she thought of how many kids would eventually give up on trying to finish her work by the end of the year but the familiar heat signature of Jacob Black drawing closer made her look up.

His gaze had calmed down noticeably and he looked almost concerned about her. As if he'd heard her troubling thoughts. Isabella didn't quite know what to say to him, considering that they had shared, probably the most erotic moment of her life this morning and they hadn't even done anything.

"Is everything-"

"I'm fine, Jacob. You should get to your second class," Isabella cut him off abruptly as she stood from her chair, straightened out her shirt and began to write notes on the blackboard. She had gripped the chalk so hard that it had snapped, and she could feel his eyes still trained on her.

"Have a nice day, Isabella," he murmured in a soft caring voice as his heat signature drifted further away with the sound of his footsteps. Isabella had to steady herself against the blackboard as the weight of Jacob finally being gone settled on her shoulders. She didn't even have enough energy to be upset over him using her first name, something she would have to speak with him about eventually. But honestly she had never felt more at ease than when she had heard her name roll over his full lips. A small throbbing ache suddenly appeared in her chest again and she groaned at the thought of catching another cold. If she was sick then she wouldn't have any willpower to focus on fixing whatever had happened between her and her student.

Even if deep down she truly didn't want to fix things, but rather take them further.

* * *

_Jacob has finally reappeared! I'm sure you're all relieved! ;) Leave me your thoughts if you care to! Thanks for reading!_


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight saga or any of its characters._

_Hello there! Thank you for all of the reviews and welcome to all of the new readers! I hope you enjoy the chapter! Happy reading!_

Chapter Six

By the end of the school day, Isabella found herself as a paranoid mess, as well as a borderline stalker. She was constantly listening to students conversations hoping to hear Jacob's name appear among them, without any luck. But not only that, she found herself perking up at any sound of footsteps passing through her door. For some odd reason she could not shake the immense need to see Jacob Black again. She could not explain the growing pull she felt towards him, nor was she ready to admit to anyone that she actually felt it.

All she wanted to do was get home, run a bath and take a long soak in it with a (large) glass of wine. She smiled at a group of freshman girls that said goodbye to her as they left the room after the final bell had rung. She gathered up some of her books from her desk and stuffed them into her canvas bag, then began to erase the chalkboard. Whenever she did this she was reminded of her mother telling stories about when she had been punished during her elementary years and was forced to clean the chalkboard erasers.

After she'd finished she tucked her hair behind her ears and gathered up her bag. She was far past being ready to go home. She had things to think about... Things to sort out. And yet, the previous day she had promised to wait after school to help Jacob Black with extra work. She smoothed out her shirt and sat back down behind her desk again. Smoothing her hair out she felt silly for a moment because this feeling was something she used to get in high school when she'd hear that her crush would be appearing at the same party as her.

It was foolish of her, but she couldn't bring herself to care quite that much. She tapped her pen against her desk avoiding looking at the door. She didn't want to seem too eager for him to walk through the door.

After almost ten minutes of trying to preoccupy herself at her desk, Isabella got up from her desk and decided to pick up around the room. She grabbed a few scrap papers off of some of the student's desks, cringing at some of the things she saw scratched into the tops of them. This room could do with a makeover. Scratch that, she thought, this _school_ could do with a makeover. Not that Mr. Molina would agree with her...

Isabella spotted a pencil laying near the entrance to the classroom and crouched down to get it. As gravity would have it, she lost her balance while crouching and threw her hand out to steady herself. As soon as her hand splayed across the ground she felt a sharp pinch.

"Shit!" Isabella swore under her breath as she pulled her hand up from the floor, and stood up again without grabbing the pencil off the ground. She brought her hand up in front of her face and saw a long sliver of glass had embedded itself into her palm. She hissed in pain as she tried to pull it out, only to do the reverse and push it slightly deeper into her flesh. It was an angry red color around the sliver and the pain was sharp and insistent.

Isabella swore again under her breath at her bad luck, and as she looked up at the clock the crushing feeling returned to her chest. It was twenty minutes after school had let out. If Jacob hadn't showed up yet, he definitely wasn't coming. With this realization, Isabella stomped, if not a bit childishly, back to her desk and shoved the rest of her books into her bag.

She was mad. No, mad was an understatement. He had_ promised_ her to be here, and he hadn't shown up. She had waited for him and he had just blown her off!

Wait a minute. Isabella froze standing directly in the doorway of her classroom.

Why was she acting this way? She was_ appalled_ that she had overreacted to a student not showing up after school. Because that's all he was; a student. And of course he hadn't shown up! Why would he come after school and meet with a teacher? After growing up around here, and with what she knew of the rest of the faculty, he probably hadn't thought she was serious about extra help for him. She was a fool.

She could feel the sting of tears in her eyes, both from her humiliation, and at the pain radiating out of her palm.

As she neared the front doors, she briefly wondered if she'd see him walking back into the school with some excuse on her lips. Against her anger and her frustration she felt towards him, she wouldn't have cared what excuse he'd given her, as long as she could spend some time speaking to him again. But as she pushed the glass door open and stepped out into the cool, cloudy day her heart sunk in her chest.

There was no Jacob Black. There wasn't even a sign of any of his friends. And so she trudged to her car, her shoulders in a slump while her heart still raced in her chest. And she wondered in the back of her head why she even cared.

He was a _nineteen year old boy_. He didn't care about school, or anything inside of its walls. Especially an English teacher who was too concerned with students that haven't had to care about anything before, because they weren't expected to. She was the one that cared. She was the one who was so seemingly desperate for company, that she had thought that one of her nineteen year old students had actually cared.

But she knew he didn't. He probably was hanging out with his friends. Or maybe he was going to see a girl. The thought made a pang of pain pierce through her heart for some irrational reason. But of course he would have forgotten about Isabella. She wasn't a native and she wasn't a teenage girl anymore.

She was his English teacher. And she realized that she didn't matter to him.

-8-

If Isabella's college friends could see her now they would be so disappointed in her.

It was seven thirty on a tuesday night, and she was already in her pajamas, sitting on her butt in front of the television with a glass full of red wine in her hand and a microwave dinner on her lap. She'd tried to perform minor surgery on her hand to extract the piece of glass from her right palm without any success and had resigned herself to the fact that her day had been a complete failure.

She had crossed so many of her own neatly draw lines that she had a hard time keeping track of them all. The biggest one though, was the fact that she had thought of one of her students in a sexual way.

For a while she had tried to reason with herself that it was completely understandable. Jacob Black, along with his friends, were extremely handsome boys. And to be honest, if she hadn't been their English teacher she probably would have mistaken them for adults. She couldn't be blamed for her perverse thoughts of him. He was attractive, and she admitted that she was a tad sexually deprived... It had been... a while.

But then, the more she tried to convince herself that it was perfectly okay to have those thoughts, the more she felt disgusted with herself. What was she doing? This was wrong on so many levels. _This could cost Isabella her job_. This was definitely not okay, and there was no excuse on the planet that she could give to Mr. Molina if he were ever to catch wind of her less innocent affections toward one of her senior students.

And Jacob Black... Who knows? Maybe he had some twisted fantasy of getting with one of his teachers before he left for... not college... but whatever came after high school for him. Perhaps he had some spark inside of him, but it was not like Isabella's thoughts. There was no way that a teenage boy would ever care past getting what he wanted. If she gave into him and actually did break every rule in the book then she was positive that he would disappear and she would never hear from him again. She would be a notch on his bedpost, and she was sure a boy like him had many.

For some reason the tears began to spring from her eyes. The thought of how little she would mean to him. The thought of him walking out of her classroom and never come back again. To never hear his soothing voice. To never see a rare sunny smile from him. It all weighed heavily on her chest, and for the life of her she could not understand why. All she could understand was that she needed to nip her infatuation in the bud. She needed to put a stop to it, no matter what the cost.

If it meant being the worst person in the world to him so that he would hate her and leave her alone, then so be it. But she could not risk losing her job, and ruining her entire reputation for someone who would leave her. She was not that strong.

-8-

Isabella was mentally and physically drained on Wednesday morning.

After crying and thinking over her own problems for a few hours and shamelessly drinking an entire bottle of merlot on her living room couch, she had gone to bed at two in the morning. Only to lay in bed and stare at her ceiling for another hour and a half. She'd finally fallen asleep at four in the morning, but her dreams were hard to follow and left her tossing and turning under her covers. Her body couldn't decide if it was too cold or too hot and she had been uncomfortable no matter what she'd done.

When she'd looked in her bathroom morning only two hours after she'd fallen asleep she noticed the large, dark bags under her eyes and felt the familiar pounding of a hangover in her skull. She threw on a pair of dark jeans that she'd found in her dirty hamper since she hadn't done any laundry yet and she'd already decided against wearing formal clothes while feeling so crappy. She at least tried a little bit with a pair of modest black heels, although it didn't help much with the slightly wrinkled blouse she'd put on.

She even left her hair down, rather than put it in it's regular low bun she managed on other days. She grabbed a travel mug filled with coffee, not bothering to put any sugar or cream into it, because she truly needed to wake up. Not to mention her right hand had swelled slightly due to the stubborn sliver of glass that refused to leave her skin. She would probably have to call her doctor after work today so she could go in later today. There was no way she could let this get infected.

After putting around her apartment until it was time to leave she finally got into her car and drove to the school. She unpacked her bag on her desk once again and decided to give up on the discussion for the day, and she would go with them taking notes on the chapters they'd read out of their books. There was absolutely no way she was going to be able to stay focused if she had to lead a discussion. Especially considered how much lack of motivation in the classroom there was.

There was a click from the door and Isabella's heart broke out into a sprint as she looked up, unsurprised to see Jacob Black staring at her from the entrance to the classroom. His expression was worried, although there was another emotion just under the surface that she wasn't entirely sure about. His eyes widened as he looked at her face, and Isabella, seemingly forgetting all of her promises to herself looked down, embarrassed. She did not want him to see the dark circles that stained her skin, displaying her restlessness.

She hadn't even heard him move, but he was, all of a sudden, in front of her. Without warning his hand caught her chin gently in his palm. The contact of his hand on her skin sent the same humming sensation racing through her veins. The sudden need to push herself as close as possible to this man overcame her as he gently forced her face to look up at his. She watched with wide eyes as his own dark eyes traced every line on her face. Her heart galloped in her chest as he looked straight into her eyes, looking frantic and almost scared. She saw his other hand reach towards her, and she remembered where they were.

Her head jerked away so violently that she almost collided with the blackboard behind her. She stared at him, her chest heaving for air that she needed. She felt exhausted and the only thing she wanted was to go back to sleep and hope that this terrible morning was actually a bad dream.

"Jacob, you cannot touch me like that," Isabella finally found her voice, although it was a bit breathless.

Jacob seemed confused by this statement, but his eyes remained on her, "Isabella, are you hurt? Are you _bleeding? What happened?_" his voice held a timbre in it that vibrated Isabella's bones and made her flesh quiver. She wanted to hear that voice while his body hovered above her own, but at the moment she could not fantasize, since he clearly hadn't heard her.

"Jacob, do you understand how inappropriate it is for you to do things like that? And you cannot use my first name. I am not your friend, I am your professor," she said to him in a shaking voice. Even she didn't believe the words she'd said.

"I asked you what happened, Isabella. You need to tell me where you're hurt. Why do you look so tired, honey?" Jacob's voice was soft, though it had a tight edge on it. He took a step towards her, his eyes still wild and frantic as they raced over every corner of her body, searching. She felt completely exposed to him when he did that and instead of feeling uncomfortable, she only felt comforted by it. He would not harm her. He was concerned, but still, he was not listening.

"_Jacob Black!_ You cannot say those kinds of things. It is none of your business, now please excuse me!" Isabella hissed at him as she darted towards the door of the classroom. Without warning she felt Jacob grab her right hand, which she had wrapped using some medical tape around a sterilized piece of gauze where the glass had entered her skin. "Ouch!" she gasped, wrenching her hand away from him and holding it to her chest.

It was almost in slow motion that Jacob's eyes zeroed in on her bandaged right hand, cradled against her chest. Isabella's heartbeat pounded in her ears as she watched his face turn from one of worry to one of raw panic.

"_Tell me what happened now_." Jacob's voice boomed. However, he had not yelled. It seemed loud to Isabella only because she felt every syllable vibrate through her body. He was no longer asking her anything, he was demanding she do as he told her. And yet, it was not frightening. It was not a harsh demand, or a rude one. It was one of unconditional concern and caring. He was truly worried about her. He made it seem as though his only purpose in that moment was making sure that she was alright.

"_No, Jacob._ That is none of your business, now go and take your seat," Isabella whispered in a surprisingly level voice. She was confused by his reaction, but there was also a million other thoughts racing through her mind. Buzzing thoughts that stung at her mind like angry bees.

Her whisper finally seemed to register for Jacob and his face fell in what could only be described as complete hurt. Isabella threw her hand over her mouth in shock as she realized that she had hurt Jacob. Not physically, but something much deeper. Something that ran through his soul, and she could feel it pierce directly through hers as well. Her eyebrows pinched together in confusion at the pain in her chest as she continued to stare into Jacob's defeated eyes.

She didn't even hear the two boys, Jared and Quil, both enter into the room and start pulling Jacob's arms making him back away from Isabella. All she could do was watch, until a hand ended up on her shoulder. She looked over to see Embry staring at her with a questioning gaze.

Before he could ask anything there was a loud snarl that echoed through the classroom, drawing Isabella's eyes back over to Jacob, who now looked irate as he glared at Embry. Immediately Embry's hand left her shoulder as if he had been burned. Isabella just stared at the feral expression on Jacob's face. For some reason she knew that any sane person should have been afraid of someone who looked like that, but she felt perfectly at ease. She felt as though he was protecting her. He would never hurt her. He was not able too.

Or maybe she was going certifiably insane.

In a split second Isabella had turned slightly to her right and snatched her bag off of her desk. She didn't bother to pick up the books she had already taken out of it as she brushed past Embry and sprinted out of the room. She felt her chest begin to throb as she ran back down the hallway and out the door into the parking lot. Her chest felt as though it was about to split apart. She couldn't breathe. She was having a panic attack, or _something_.

She finally made it to her car and wrenched open the door, throwing her bag inside of her car and jumping into the drivers seat. She didn't even bother looking back at the school as she drove out other parking lot and sped back out of the reservation.

This was something bigger than just an infatuation with a student. There was no explanation for the deep burning in her soul and the throbbing in her chest that threatened to split her apart.

Isabella knew in her bones that only Jacob would be able to make her feel better.

He was the only one who could make all of this stop.

He knew why all of these things were happening to her.

And she was determined to find out what it was.

* * *

_Phew! I hope you liked it! Leave me your thoughts if you care to. Thanks for reading!_


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight saga or any of its characters._

_Thank you for all of the feedback on yesterday's chapter, it means a lot to me! Here's the next chapter! Happy reading!_

Chapter Seven

She was coward and she knew it.

She'd called in sick after leaving the school in a rush on Wednesday. She'd told Mr. Molina that after getting to the school it had come over her. On Thursday she'd told him that it hadn't abated yet, and that she was bed ridden out of fear of having another fainting spell. And on Friday she'd told him that while she was still feeling under the weather, she would definitely be back in on Tuesday after the three day weekend for Labor day.

Isabella had been hot and cold all week in regard to her thoughts on Jacob Black. She never seemed to fully put him in a bad light because she had seen what had been in his eyes when he'd asked her if she was alright. She had seen the clear worry in his eyes. To some extent, Jacob cared very much for her, even if she didn't have an exact measurement. But why? That was something that Isabella had pondered over for the past three days as she'd puttered around her shabby apartment.

At first she had tried to distract herself from both her thoughts and the immense pain she felt in her chest. This was much worse than the times previous when it had appeared and she was concerned that she was developing some kind of respiratory issue. Although on the second day of being home she had finally managed to drag the sliver of glass, if not painfully, out of her palm. Now there was only a slice in her flesh that would take a little bit of time to heal it.

She tried to read her favorite books, she tried watching television. She even considered going into Seattle to go shopping. But she could not think of anything else but the way that Jacob Black's eyes had raced over her body, trying to find where she was hurt. To find out what he could do to help her. And the more she thought about it, the more abnormal it seemed to her.

He'd asked her if she was bleeding. What an odd question to ask unless you've seen someone hurt themselves. It was as if he knew she had an open wound because the air around them had whispered it to him. And that voice. That was something unique all on its own.

His voice had gotten deeper, and stronger, and even to her she knew that it was an order. There was no denying the unadulterated power that had laced his voice when he'd asked her what happened. And although it was a demand, it was not one made out of cruelty. She could see that he was frustrated, but not angry with her. His voice made her tremble, though not out of fear. It was a voice that her inner primal soul had familiarized itself with. She felt as though she knew that voice, she felt that the voice meant safety, especially for her. And as she had felt before, much to her embarrassment, it had awakened a lust inside of her. One that she hadn't truly felt before for a male, let alone during her previous sexual encounters.

But all of those details she had picked up on had truly explained things to her. She still did not understand why she felt the need to drive back to the reservation and bury herself in his arms. Isabella could not grasp why she felt as though she was going to split apart, though she had a hunch that if she were to go back to the school and be with Jacob, that it would ebb away almost immediately. And she could not understand, for the life of her why he truly cared about her so much. Why he was so frustrated and panicked with the thought of her being harmed in some way. Why he'd been so hurt when he'd finally heard him when she told him to stop. The thought of his hurt face in Isabella's mind stirred up a new wave of pain each time.

These were not normal things that were happening to her, and she didn't understand them. But as she hid herself away within her house for the last few days of the work-week she became more and more determined to find out why they were happening.

-8-

On Saturday morning she'd woken up early. After having three days to herself and to catch up on sleep, she felt like she no longer needed any kind of sleep. It also helped immensely that the feeling like she was about to split in half went away during the night-time hours. Though, during the day it was back with a full force, which, to her was still confusing. She knew that Jacob had something to do with it, but she needed more answers.

She'd rolled out of bed with the singular mission of preparing the food she'd promised to bring for Charlie's barbeque.

After she'd scrubber her hands and brought out all of the ingredients she quickly lost herself in the blur of mixing and adding ingredients. She still thought of Jacob, but her thoughts weren't nearly so vicious as they were a few days ago. They were now a calm, constant lull in the back of her mind. To be honest she'd realized that there was never a time when she wasn't thinking about Jacob in at least some way.

She wondered what he was doing with his friends, and where they would be. She wondered what they did for fun around the reservation. She wondered if some of the boys would be at Charlie's tomorrow, but she constantly thought about Jacob.

Twice Isabella had to try and find a bigger bowl for the enormous batch of cookies she had produced, and she wondered how long it would take to bake all of them. She put the first batch in around ten in the morning, and started on the pasta salad.

Throughout the day she continued to bake the cookies, switching out one batch after fifteen minutes for another one, and this went on for hours. She'd managed to finish the pasta salad, and clean her kitchen, and do all of the dishes while waiting for different batches. And she still had more cookie dough left in the bowl.

It was finally around four o'clock when the last batch came out of the oven. She'd filled almost ten plates with cooling cookies, and wondered how she was going to transport all of these cookies to Charlie's house. Granted, it wasn't too far of a drive, but still, that was a lot of food.

Isabella stared at the clock for a while and found that the throbbing in her chest had diminished once again. She was glad for it, and decided to get into some pajamas again. In her room she looked at her curtainless windows and was actually glad that both windows faced into the woods behind the apartment. She'd hate for one of her neighbors to see her stripping down.

She pulled off her shirt and jeans, slipping out of her dirty clothes. She released the girls from their confinement and sighed as she held them in her hands. She tried to apologize to them for forcing them into a bra for the entire day. The way they ached certainly meant that they weren't listening to her.

Releasing them she turned to her dresser underneath her windows and pulled out a soft blue camisole that she pulled over her head and grabbed a new pair of underwear from her top drawer. As she slipped the new pair on she felt a blazing heat slide up her spine. Her head lolled back on her shoulders as she let out an uncontrolled, breathy moan. The heat continued to slide through her veins at a tortuous pace. There was no escaping the feeling as it flowed through her body until it reached directly into her core. She felt the heat settle, and she was unsure of what it was, but it certainly felt better than anything she had ever experienced. Perhaps her lady bits were trying to tell her to get her act together and find someone to have sex with.

And yet, with this strange heat flowing through her body the only thing she was reminded of was the heat signature that Jacob carried with him. It was like he was a walking space heater, and it drew her towards him. She wanted to be immersed in that incredible heat while being wrapped in his arms. She wanted to feel his body covering hers like a blanket so that she would be completely safe and happy. She wondered what it would feel like to have his hot hands trace her curves, and wake up feeling his warm lips skimming across her shoulder. There were so many things that his heat made her want to do.

As she left her bedroom and walked into the living room she felt the heat slide back out of her body. It left her freezing and she wrapped herself up in her blanket. This house was such a piece of crap, that the heater now apparently worked in her bedroom, but ceased in the rest of the house. What a joke.

She plopped down on the couch and turned the television on to the news station and waited for the five o'clock news. She didn't even make it to then before she'd passed out on the couch. And in her dreams she lay peacefully in the burning hot arms of Jacob Black, and there was nothing to make her think it was wrong.

-8-

When Isabella woke up, it was bright in her living room. She had to squint from all of the sunshine flooding the room, and it was with a bit of confusion that she managed to register that it was actually a nice day, something that was almost non existent in the town of Forks.

The television was still on and some woman was babbling on about raising money for some kind of charity. Isabella pushed herself up off the couch and took a closer look out her window. By some miracle there was not a cloud to be seen in the sky, but this did not make Isabella want to get off the couch any more that if it had been thundering outside.

Today, Isabella would be forced to socialize not only with her father, whom she had never had a very stable relationship with throughout her life, but also many people from the reservation, who probably knew her name through their children... Who she taught.

"This will be interesting," Isabella whispered to herself before going back to her own room and getting ready for her shower. She didn't spend much time under the hot water, her nerves making her jittery and somewhat breathless. Her chest did not hurt today, even in the slightest, which made her feel a bit better. It was almost a comforting feeling that bloomed there now. She quickly dressed in a pair of modest jean shorts and a cream colored three-quarter sweater with thin black stripes running horizontally. She slipped on a pair of black flip flops and brushed her hair out, leaving it down to dry.

As she looked at all of the plates on her kitchen counter she sighed. This was going to be difficult by herself. She stacked up five of the plates into a pile, each wrapped individually in tin foil. She snatched her keys off of her kitchen table and walked outside, pleasantly surprised with how warm the sunlight felt on her shoulders. She put the first stack of plates in the passenger seat and then followed with the second stack and the large bowl of pasta salad she had made.

When she was finally on her way to Charlie's house she felt her anxiety grow again. She had a feeling that Jacob would be among the boys from La Push at her father's house and she found that all of her bravado about demanding answers from him was quickly waning. She wondered if he would think she had gone crazy. Or maybe he'd play it off as if he had no idea what she was talking about.

Isabella turned onto her father's street and searched for a parking space out front of his small two-story white house. As she parked on the curb she saw the window in the upper right corner of the house and recognized it as the bedroom she used to stay in on her infrequent visits to Forks when she was younger.

Straightening out her sweater, she got out of the car with the bowl of pasta salad in her arms. In the warm air she could smell a grill out in the backyard and hear the loud chatter of many guests. The sun felt nice with the slight breeze blowing around, but Isabella could feel heat sliding up her body once again. She tried to ignore it as she walked up the sidewalk to the front door and walked into her father's house.

There weren't many people inside of the house because they were all out back, but as Isabella walked into the kitchen she saw two women standing at the counters.

"Hello?" Isabella asked.

The two women turned around and looked at her. The older one's face lit up with recognition while the younger of the two scrutinized Isabella for another moment.

"Oh my gosh! You must be Charlie's daughter, Isabella, right?" one of the women asked. She was short and plump with a kind face. The other, the younger one, was thinner and a little bit taller than Isabella, with angular features. She was much younger, and honestly she was a gorgeous girl. Maybe the same age as herself. They were both clearly natives from the reservation.

"I am, yeah. It's nice to meet you, what're your names?" Isabella asked. She set down the large bowl of pasta salad on the small round kitchen table and smiled at the two women.

"I'm Sue Clearwater, and this is my daughter Leah. Your father and my husband have known each other for a long time. Much longer than he'd probably admit," the older woman smiled at Isabella and she laughed a bit. "Did you bring anything else? I know Charlie said something about a dessert and a pasta salad. We need all the food we can get in order to feed all of those boys out there."

"Actually, there are about ten plates of homemade cookies out in my car. I can go get them," Isabella turned to leave the house again, but Sue stepped forward and grasped her hand gently.

"Nonsense! I can get one of the boys to do it. Leah, could you go get one of them?" she asked her daughter, who was still staring at Isabella with an unidentifiable look on her face. It made Isabella uncomfortable as she squirmed a bit under the gaze, but Leah left out the back door to the backyard and Isabella physically relaxed.

She smiled at Sue and just then a large male walked into the house. He was tall like Jacob and his friends at school but his face was so much like a child.

"What's up, mom?" the boy asked, looking at Sue with a sweet smile and then looking at Isabella.

"This is Charlie's daughter Isabella, she has some things in her car, could you do me a favor and go get them?" Sue asked her son, although Isabella could not see the similarities between this sweetly smiling giant and the round, kind woman in front of her.

"Sure, which car is it?" Seth asked her with another bright smile. Isabella found it to be contagious and smiled back.

"It's the crappy blue Kia Rio on the curb. You can't miss it," she joked. Seth and Sue both laughed and Seth left the room with a nod. Sue smiled at her again and then spoke.

"I'm going out back to check and see that the boys haven't messed up any of the cooking. It's a good thing Emily is here, because they'd be lost without her! Come on back once you're settled, I know everyone would love to meet you!" the older woman said one last time before she walked out the back door that Leah had gone through before.

As she left Seth came walking back into the kitchen with the two stacks of plates neatly balanced in his hands.

"Wow, that's impressive," Isabella said as she watched him set them down on the counter.

"Nah, it's nothing. But those smell really good," he said with that same smile still plastered on his face. He really was a cute kid, if not a little on the huge side.

"Thanks, how old are you Seth?" Isabella asked casually as she began to unwrap the pasta salad.

"Oh. I'm seventeen," he stated and Isabella choked on the giant breath she inhaled.

"Holy cow! You certainly had a growth spurt growing up, didn't you? Are all the boys like that on the reservation? You guys are like giants!" Isabella asked him with a nervous laugh. Seth's smile retreated a bit on his face, but he tried to laugh with her.

"Yeah... I guess... I never really noticed how tall we all were. It seemed normal... Do you need anymore help?" he asked as he edged towards the back door. Isabella shook her head and sighed.

"No, but thank you Seth. Tell my dad I'll be out soon if you see him," she said. She saw him nod out of the corner of her eye and then leave out towards the backyard. Isabella felt her hands start to shake out of the nerves of finally getting answers from Jacob Black.

She'd have to get him cornered somewhere and make him answer every single question that she had; why all of these things were happening to her. Her anxiety made her stomach tingle and feel as though she was floating in an airplane doing a nose dive. Her skin felt clammy to her, and she could feel her heart racing under her rib cage. She had to get a hold of herself.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," she whispered to remind herself. She heard the click of the screen door open. Assuming it was either Sue or her father she turned with a small smile on her face.

"I'll be out in a min-" she stopped mid sentence.

Standing, full height in front of her, was Jacob Black. He did not look angry, but a bit frustrated. But there was something else underneath the superficial layer of emotion. There was something more in the way he looked at her, standing alone in her father's kitchen.

And this time, instead of running, Isabella stood firmly in her spot and crossed her arms over her chest. She set her gaze on Jacob's dark one, trying to ignore the sensation of wanting to propel herself into his arms. She had a mission, and she was going to get answers.

"Jacob Black, you have some explaining to do," she spoke to him and watched, satisfied as his eyebrows rose in surprise. But then he seemed to relax and Isabella was sure she saw a smile tug at the corner of his lips, which surprisingly, made her relax in her spot.

"I will always tell you the truth, Isabella," he said in his deep voice, and Isabella relaxed completely. She nodded and looked down at the counter. She drew in a deep breath, looked back up at the tall boy standing in front of her, and prepared herself to be called crazy.

* * *

_Don't hate me for leaving it there! You'll just have to wait and see what happens during Isabella's confrontation! :) I hope you liked reading this chapter. If you want, you can leave some feedback on the chapter. Thanks for reading!_


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters._

_Thank you for all of the feedback yesterday! You guys are seriously awesome and I am blown away by the response to this story! I hope you like this chapter just as much! Happy reading!_

Chapter Eight

_Previously..._

_"Jacob Black, you have some explaining to do," she spoke to him and watched, satisfied as his eyebrows rose in surprise. But then he seemed to relax and Isabella was sure she saw a smile tug at the corner of his lips, which surprisingly, made her relax in her spot._

_"I will always tell you the truth, Isabella," he said in his deep voice, and Isabella relaxed completely. She nodded and looked down at the counter. She drew in a deep breath, looked back up at the tall boy standing in front of her, and prepared herself to be called crazy..._

"Something happened... On that first day in class... I don't know what it was, but I think you do. Every time I leave the school or I think about being away from you, it's like, this painful throbbing in my chest. It's as if it's physically hurting me to be away from you. And I know that it's you, it isn't just a cold or something on the reservation. It's you. You're constantly in my thoughts, I always seem to be worried about you. And at night, I sometimes dream about you. You're like a magnet, pulling at me, and I don't understand why it is happening," Isabella said all of this quickly and breathlessly. She averted her eyes from Jacobs, as she waited for his response, but then decided to continued. She hoped to finish with at least some dignity left.

"And then yesterday, something happened there. You seemed so afraid that I was hurt... Which I was, but it's like you knew that I was hurt just from the air around us. No one else would have been able to tell that I was bleeding under my bandage, but you did. And your voice... It vibrated through me... It was different than anything I've ever heard and I need to know what's going on... Because... because," Isabella felt her voice quiver and dropped her head. If she was going to cry she wasn't about to let her student see her like that, even if he did have some weird connection to her.

Isabella heard Jacob step forward quickly and felt his heat wash over her like a comforting blanket. His hand reached gently for her chin, his touch sending sparks along her jaw line. He brought her face up to look into his own soft one. She could tell that he could see how scared she was on the inside, how confused and lonely and plain old scared she was.

"Because why, honey? Why do you need to know?" he asked her slowly. She let out a quivering breath and both the feeling of his soothing heat, and how powerful the feelings she'd suspected about truly were in this moment.

"Because I'm terrified that I'm going crazy. I'm so scared Jacob, and I don't know what to do," she whimpered and felt tears sting the corners of her eyes. She looked at Jacob's face with her tear glazed eyes and quickly found herself in a tight hug against his body. She felt so small in his arms. She felt safe, and protected, and she knew that as long as she was in his arms, nothing bad could ever happen to her.

In that moment her mind threw out the entire rule book on dealing with students. To be honest she could not even think straight. Her body was pressed against Jacob's and his heat swallowed her whole. She let the tears run down her cheeks, but this time, instead of being fueled by confusion and anger, they were tears of pure relief. He did not think she was crazy, she knew he didn't, and she also knew that he would be able to help her. There seemed to be a weight completely lifted off her shoulders as she settled her head against his firm tshirt clad chest. His heartbeat under her ear was a slow and purposeful thumping that made her breathing calm and her tears start to slow. Everything about this boy calmed her down.

"Honey, you need to listen to me, alright?" Jacob's voice rumbled through his chest and Isabella nodded. She felt like a child about to be told that there was no such thing as monsters hiding under her bed.

"I will tell you everything, but not right now. Not before the party," he started and Isabella tried to cut him off and ask why not. She pulled back a little bit from his embrace to look back into his eyes. He seemed much more calm now and there was the hint of a true smile on his lips. "No, I will tell you after the party. There will be some things you'll find hard to understand, and I don't want to ruin your day being with your father, alright? Go have some fun and we will talk later."

"You promise?" Isabella asked, almost childishly. Jacob smiled a sunny smile that suddenly left Isabella breathless as she looked at it.

"I absolutely promise," he beamed at her and then led her towards the door, "Oh wait, one more thing," he said and stopped them still in the kitchen. Isabella frowned wondering what else he could want to say, but instead of speaking he dropped his hands to her right one. In the most gentle of ways he picked up her hand and began unwrapping the clean bandage she had put on this morning. The skin underneath was still an angry red color, and it stung, but at least there was no more glass.

"What happened? Does it hurt?" Jacob asked as he inspected her minor wound.

"I put my hand down on a piece of leftover glass on the floor in the classroom. It was just like a splinter. It still stings, but I got the piece out last night," she said, trying to reassure him that she was alright. She could feel it stronger now, she could feel his need to know if she was okay. It knew it was the same feeling she got in her body when she worried about what he was doing. Jacob's face was a bit more serious as he nodded to her story, still looking at the wound. And then, he lifted her hand up to his face and nuzzled the small cut in her skin.

Isabella watched, mesmerized as he breathed against her wrist, and then pressed a chaste kiss on her injury. She felt her heart sputter as the kiss radiated heat straight up her arm and into her core. Jacob smiled a bit at her, seeming to know the kind of reaction she was having to his touch. He looked pleased with himself, and Isabella smirked a bit herself. He gently wrapped her hand back up and looked into her eyes once again.

"Later, I promise," he whispered on more time and then gave her a gentle nudge towards the door to the back yard. As he let go of her completely, she immediately felt the loss of his skin on hers, but she also gained a bit of clarity back into her thoughts. For a minute she was completely paranoid that one of the other boys had seen their interaction, that she would lose her job, that everything would be torn to shreds. But Jacob seemed to sense her anxiety level increasing as he spoke again.

"Everything will be alright, honey. Just trust me," he said.

Trust him? Isabella thought. There was nothing else she was capable of doing. She knew in her heart that Jacob would never lie to her. He would never harm her, or let her be harmed. She nodded, looking down at her shoes, and then finally pushed the screen door open to the sunlit backyard.

-8-

"Isabella! There you are!"

She felt almost in a daze, and was startled when she heard her father's voice calling to her. Looking up she saw her dad standing in front of the grill with a gruff smile on his lips. She did love her father, even if they hadn't had the best relationship while she was growing up.

"Hey dad," she smiled as she walked over to him. He pulled her into a hug that was much less awkward than the ones she remembered from when she was a teenager.

"How've you been, kid? You don't look sick anymore," he said, remembering their conversation last weekend.

"Yeah, I feel a lot better... Must've been a twenty four hour bug or something," she said. She wasn't going to tell her father that the actual reason why she hadn't felt good was because a boy she taught in her English class had some kind of pull on her heart.

"That's good to hear, how's the new job going?" he asked as he turned to flip some burgers on the grill. Isabella launched excitedly into telling her father all about the school and what she was teaching the kids. She was glad to have something else to put her mind on, as she was consumed with thinking about what Jacob would tell her after the cookout.

Halfway through her explanation she heard the screen door the house open again and her gaze drifted to see Jacob walking out of the house. His eyes were trained on her, but there was a relaxed smile on his lips. It made Isabella calm down substantially, although she hadn't realized she had been tense until he'd come out of the house and she knew where he was again. She spoke to her father still but watched to the side ho Jacob walked back to a large group of boys that were almost as tall as him. She saw that he seemed to be the tallest out of the group. For some reason a thrill of pride ran up her spine. She laughed at herself in her head for being so silly and for being proud that Jacob was taller than the other boys.

After finishing up telling her father about the school he smiled at her.

"It sounds like you're really happy where you are, Bella," he winked at her. She rolled her eyes at the nickname she used to insist that everyone call her by. Back when she was a teenager she'd thought that her full name was too much of a mouthful. It wasn't until college that she realized how stupid she'd sounded, correcting everyone to use her childish nickname. Now, her father used it still as well as her mother. It annoyed her at times, but she supposed that after making them call her that for years, it stuck a little.

"I am happy... It's taken awhile to adjust to things, but I think this will be good for me," she smiled then, because she realized that her words were the truth.

"That's good, kiddo. And how about friends? Have you met anyone since you've been here? Some kind of gal pal?" he asked and Isabella laughed at her father.

"Dad, no one calls them gal pals anymore. Could you leave the sixties please?" she joked and he turned on her with a smirk.

"Don't get smart, Bella. I still have your middle school pictures locked away inside, remember?" he threatened lightly and Isabella laughed even more.

"No but seriously, have you met any friends yet?" he asked, adding more hot dogs to the grill while taking the ones that were done off of it.

"Uh... No not really... I haven't really had time... Grading papers and stuff, you know?" she muttered while looking at the flames of the grill.

"Oh come on, Bella. Not one friend?" he asked. Her father knew that she had never been very good about making friends. She liked to pretend that she was alright on her own, and so she never really tried to make any girl friends in school.

"Nope, not one. I've actually decided to become a hermit, sell all of my worldly possessions, and live out my days completely alone. I only came here to tell you this and say goodbye," Isabella retorted sarcastically. Charlie smirked again and waved his spatula at her.

"Watch it," he warned playfully and Isabella rolled her eyes, "Seriously though, you should go out some night to Port Angeles. I don't really know what you kids do these days for fun, especially at your age."

"Gee, thanks dad. I'm twenty three, not eighty three," she growled at the dig against her age but her father just laughed.

"Go out and meet some people. Who knows, maybe you'll find a boy. Maybe then your mother will stop bothering me to spy on you and see if you take people home!" he laughed as he closed the grill for the food to cook and picked up the plate of burgers. Isabella was stunned as she looked at her dad.

"Wait, dad, you're kidding right? She doesn't actually ask you to watch me... right?" she asked quickly. Charlie just laughed and walked towards the long picnic table that had been set up near the house. Isabella was slightly mortified at what her father had just said and looked around for somewhere to hide herself. Once again she met Jacob's eyes from across the yard and every tension and worry seemed to melt straight off of her body. Where was this feeling when she had been studying during her senior year of college?

Isabella sighed and then started walking towards the drink cooler. She saw that her dad had started talking with a group of older men standing near the large group of boys from La Push. She grabbed a beer out of the cooler and popped the top off, taking a gulp of the cold liquid. Looking at the table of food she decided to get a plate of some of the fruits and veggies, piling them onto the paper plate in her hand. She was so zoned into what she was doing that she didn't realize someone had walked up beside her.

She turned and almost walked into the pregnant woman she'd ever seen in her life.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" Isabella said in a rush, dodging to the side to avoid the enormous protruding belly. The woman laughed and Isabella's eyes were drawn to her face. On one side she was a gorgeous native woman, her raven black hair spilled down her shoulders and her eyes were a kind light brown. But on the other side, three jagged scars ran from the top of her forehead and down to her chin, pulling the other side of her mouth downward in an eternal frown. Isabella had been caught up in her staring that she hadn't heard the response from the woman.

She felt a blush light up her face at her embarrassment as she saw the woman looking at her, waiting for a response. "Oh, um... I'm so sorry, I wasn't... staring or anything I just... I'm so sorry," Isabella stuttered out, trying to explain herself, but the woman did not look mad. Instead she smiled kindly and held out her hand.

"It's really okay. My name is Emily Uley. I'm Sam's wife," she pointed to a man that was standing with the group of tall boys... Of which Jacob was also among them, "You're... Charlie's daughter?"

"Yes, I'm Isabella," she said, shaking Emily's hand gently. She was still horrified at how she had acted only moments before, but Emily seemed to not have noticed.

"Oh, is it Isabella, or Bella? Charlie's always calling you Bella," she said with her eyebrows drawn together.

"Oh, well I guess it doesn't really matter," she replied. And it truly didn't. A name was a name, after all.

"Alright, would you like to come and sit with me and the girls? I feel like we're at a middle school dance with all of the boys and girls separated," she giggled. Isabella laughed with her and then followed her towards a small group of girls. She already recognized Leah who was sitting next to another native girl, who she immediately realized was Kim, from her class of seniors.

"Ms. Swan! Hi, how are you!" Kim said with a bright smile as Isabella sat down on a lawn chair across from her and next to Emily's.

"I'm good, Kim, how's your weekend going?" she asked. She didn't want to overstep her boundaries as a teacher... Even though in her head a little voice was reminding her of what had happened in the kitchen with Jacob.

"It's really nice. My mom's birthday was yesterday, so we spent the day together, and today is such a nice day, plus there's no school tomorrow! So I can't really complain," she smiled.

"That sounds nice," Isabella smiled as well.

"How do you two already know each other?" Emily asked then.

"Oh, Ms. Swan is the English teacher at the high school down on the rez," Kim said as she snuck a few chips into her mouth. Isabella nodded and Emily smiled.

"You're a teacher! How great is that! You must really love the subject then," she said to her. Isabella nodded and told her briefly about how she had always loved literature, and how teaching it had always been a dream of hers.

"That's so nice, isn't that nice, Leah?" Emily turned to the still brooding girl who was currently staring down Isabella again.

"Yeah, that sounds wonderful. But, just out of curiosity, what are the rules on student-teacher relationships?" she asked, cool as a cucumber as she glared into Isabella's eyes. Isabella felt her stomach drop and she suddenly was not hungry anymore. Her eyes widened and she watched Leah's face turn from skeptical to one of malicious triumph.

"Leah!" Emily hissed at the girl angrily, but Isabella ignored it and stood up quickly.

"I'm sorry, I think I forgot to bring out the pasta salad," she said in a robotic voice. She had to get away from here. Leah knew about her and Jacob. Maybe she saw them in the kitchen, or maybe she just had a hunch about her, but she knew and it made Isabella's nerves jump around on her skin like a live wire.

She blindly walked away from the group and towards the house again. The only thing she could think about was how somebody actually knew... And to be honest nothing had even happened yet! Nothing that warranted her for being fired at least... Right? Unless Leah was a mind reader and knew all of the dirty thoughts she had been thinking since she'd first seen Jacob... But she sincerely doubted that. No matter what though, she felt sick to her stomach at the thought of someone finding out about her.

"Isabella!" came a voice that made her body relax instantly. She turned around and watched Jacob jog over to her, looking at her concerned face and then quickly looking around the yard.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a quiet voice.

"Do you ever have anything else to ask me?" she joked for a minute, seeing as she no longer felt as though she was going to vomit.

Jacob smiled briefly, but it was a tight smile, since she knew that he still thought something was wrong,

"It's nothing. I'll tell you later, you're still going to tell me everything later, right?" she asked him, looking into his eyes, which softened immediately.

"Of course, I am," he replied and she nodded. She opened her mouth to say something else to him, but she was interrupted by the appearance of Emily again.

"I'm so sorry for what Leah said! That was totally inappropriate!" Emily gushed as she placed a delicate hand on her shoulder. Isabella smiled gently at the pregnant woman and nodded.

"It's alright. It was an innocent question, it really didn't bother me," she tried to reassure Emily, who seemed to believe her, but Jacob was a different story. He watched Isabella with a stern and curious expression. Of course he knew that she had been bothered by Leah's comment. He knew when she was lying about anything, Isabella surmised.

"Why don't I introduce you some of the other people here, I'd like to get to know you better," Emily smiled at her and Isabella felt for a moment as though she actually was making a friend.

"I'd really like that," Isabella responded as she looped her arm through Emily's and shot Jacob one last look, hoping that he'd understand that she'd be alright.

He seemed to understand and gave her a nod, though the worried look was still etched into his features.

She tried not to think too hard about it as she followed Emily around the yard and chatted with the new people she met. She had to remind herself that all of her questions would be answered before the sun set today.

* * *

_All of Isabella's questions will be answered in due time, my friends! Leave some feedback if you care to, and I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading!_


	9. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_Seriously though, have I told you guys yet how absolutely AMAZING you are? Because you guys are blowing me away! Thank you SO MUCH for all of the incredible feedback you continue to give me! I love reading your thoughts on all of the chapters! It's great :) I hope you enjoy this chapter, and as always, happy reading!_

Chapter Nine

For the rest of the afternoon Isabella spent her time talking with Emily, meeting the rest of the people at the barbeque, and stealing glances at Jacob.

She learned that Emily and Sam had been married for about eight months and she was six months pregnant. However she looked like she was going to explode, and Isabella joked about it. Emily laughed with her and told her that the little bugger was also very antsy. During the day she had put Isabella's hand on her stomach and she'd felt the movement of the baby inside Emily's womb. For a moment Isabella's world froze.

In her mind's eye she saw her future, her own belly rounded with a child kicking inside of her. And then the scene changed and she was watching three children with dark heads of hair running through the yard of her father's house, playing with each other and the other young kids that had infested the area. Isabella was slapped back into her body with a jolt and she realized how badly she wanted that idea of the future to become a reality. She wanted it more than anything.

Emily continued to tell her the names of the rest of the boys that had decided to start a game of touch football with the other able bodied men at the cookout. She explained that they were all a close group of friends... They were more like brothers, she told Isabella. And she could see it. They way they joked and played together, the way that they sometimes argued, but ultimately got along with each other could only be described as the bond between brothers.

Isabella was introduced to Billy Black by her father, and she had to admit that she felt nervous meeting the father of Jacob. He was kind man though, and he gave her a hearty hug, even from sitting in his wheelchair. She felt a sense of relief wash over her after meeting him and knowing that he already liked her... But maybe after he figured out that her and his son had some odd kind of connection he would be a little less understanding. After all, she was supposed to be a professional.

The day continued on, but all Isabella could think about was how her talk with Jacob would go later. She had been watching him play touch football with the other boys. Her stomach had clenched every time she watched him twist expertly out of reach of the other guys, and she'd lost her breath every time that one of the boys collided with him, trying to intercept a pass. However as if on cue, each time she looked at him, he looked up from whatever he was doing and looked into her eyes. And every time, she found herself at ease. It was a magical spell that Isabella had been cast under, but she was unsure that she wanted to be freed from it.

-8-

"Hey Bella, don't be a stranger anymore, okay?" Charlie called to her as she walked out the front door of his house.

"I won't. Maybe I could come over for dinner sometime this week?" she responded as she gave him a wave.

"Sounds like a plan, kiddo!" he smiled at her and she nodded, then continued to her car. She waited a moment by her door, looking around until her eyes settled on Jacob Black standing on the opposite side of the street, next to what looked like a metal death trap. Said metal death trap was actually a motorcycle.

"You want to follow me to someplace we can talk?" he asked. She nodded, not trusting her voice and got into her car. Even through the windows she heard the roaring of Jacob's motorcycle as he started it up. Isabella backed out of her spot and pulled out after Jacob, following him down the road towards... Somewhere. She realized she had no idea where he was taking her.

They drove for a while until she knew that they were headed to somewhere on the reservation. It wasn't long before they turned off the main road and drove down a slightly overgrown path. The path finally opened up to a small dirt parking lot overlooking a beach.

Isabella parked her car and got out slowly. She was a bit nervous of what was going to happen now, and she didn't trust herself not to say or do something stupid.

"You don't have to be nervous, Bella," Jacob said softly as he walked over to her. She looked up at him out of surprise at the use of her childhood nickname. He looked like he'd been caught and he tried backtracking, "Is it alright that I call you that? Isabella is just a mouthful."

Isabella couldn't help but giggle at him, "I guess that's fine for now." She wasn't going to admit how much she enjoyed him calling her that. It was silly how she suddenly loved the nickname again just because he had liked it as well.

"Let's go for a walk. No one ever comes on this part of the beach, it's too hard to get to," Jacob reassured her as he held out his large tan hand. Isabella looked the hand for a moment before placing her small pale one inside of its heat. Jacob's smile made her heart skip a beat and he began to lead her down towards the sand. She looked out at the beach as they walked. The sun was low in the sky, but sunset wasn't for another few hours. Jacob tugged on her hand gently and led her over to a bleached driftwood log.

As they reached it Jacob sat down, still holding onto Isabella's hand firmly. She took a seat beside him and finally looked back into his face. His russet colored face, with the dark eyes and incredibly handsome features. He looked like a creature of perfection,though she knew that he had some faults.

"Bella, you've asked me a lot of questions, and I intend on answering each of them, but you have to promise me that you won't speak until I'm done. You have to promise me that you won't walk away from me," Jacob asked, his eyes pleading with her. She knew that there was no possible way that she could ever say no to this man.

"I promise, Jacob," she whispered to him and he squeezed her small hand in his. For a minute he looked out over the water, and she watched his face. Every feature on his face made Isabella want to kiss it. She wanted to push herself closer to his warm, bronzed skin until she could no longer tell where he ended and she began. She saw Jacob's lips twitch into a smile, but he still remained silent. Isabella was beginning to wonder if he was ever going to speak, when he finally opened his mouth.

"My tribe has always had legends among them. Our ancestors believed that we were descended from wolves, and that our Gods had given us the gift of a spirit guide. It's believed that some of the ancestors also had alternative identities as spirit warriors. They were able to change from their human form into the form of a wolf in order to protect the people from the cold ones. Cold ones are what are now called vampires," Jacob said in a slow, steady voice. Isabella watched him, completely mystified as to where this was going.

"The legends remain the same that descendents of the original tribe still carry the spirit guides inside of us, and only the threat from the cold ones will make them reappear... Well, a few years ago, a new family moved to Forks. They called themselves the Cullens, and they are a large group of cold ones that had apparently decided to create the facade of being a human family. It was a few years ago that the boys from La Push, including myself started to phase into the wolves that our ancestors had described," Jacob looked into her face, searching for something. Or maybe he was waiting for her to run away screaming. She could feel her heartbeat in her chest and while she would have scoffed a few months ago if someone had told her this story, she could only sit, completely mesmerized by his words. She knew that he was telling the truth, no matter how insane it sounded.

After he'd decided that she wasn't going to run away from him, he continued on, "So now, since I am the next in line to be chief after my father dies, I am the alpha of the pack. They follow my commands and we all protect the tribe from any threats, supernatural or otherwise... But there's also... One more thing," he sighed. Isabella couldn't possibly imagine what else he was about to tell her after telling her that he could transform into a wolf.

"There's a part of being a wolf, involving finding their true mate... It's called imprinting. There isn't really a simple way to explain it, but I'll try my best... It's kind of like a "love at first sight" deal, but the effect is a thousand times greater. The wolf inside of the man identifies the female that is best suited to carry his seed, and the best match for the wolf's personality. I'm sure the elders have a better way of explaining it but basically the wolf is bound to that one female. We are inclined to always protect them, we can never let anything harm them, and when the time is right we are supposed to impregnate them. But also, the man becomes anything that she needs. Whether it's a friend, or a brother figure, or a romantic relationship, the man that the wolf is carried by is also bound to that woman. They are forever devoted to them, no matter what."

Isabella's breathing felt harsher now as she stared at Jacob with wide eyes. He couldn't be telling her what she thought he was telling her...

"Bella, I'm trying to explain that you're my imprint. My wolf has figured out that you are our soul mate," Jacob whispered finally, staring into Isabella's eyes. He was pleading with her not to run away, not to yell at him. But she found that she couldn't think straight. She had no idea what to do with this knowledge. Her mouth opened and words tumbled out according to her thought process.

"My chest was throbbing-"

"Because of the separation between your soul and mine," Jacob finished her whispered sentence. Isabella averted her eyes and stared out over the ocean. The air was cooling substantially and the sun was casting golden light over the beach.

"You're bound to me?" Isabella asked.

"Forever," Jacob answered simply. She nodded and stared at the waves. She was quiet for a long time, just thinking, and he let her. Her thoughts were a jumble in her head, but he knew that she had to figure this out by herself. The only reminder that he was there still was his warm hand encasing her own and his thumb rubbing her skin.

"Can you show me?" she asked suddenly, bringing her eyes back to the patient dark brown ones that belonged to Jacob. He understood immediately and tried to hide the smile that graced his lips.

"Are you sure? I don't want you to be freaked out," he asked her, a bit wary. Isabella shook her head.

"I need to see what I'm dealing with," she muttered. She had always like to think of herself as a rational thinker, but this conversation, this whole experience was something that she could not rationalize. And she accepted that.

"Okay, wait right here," Jacob said as he stood quickly, holding up his hands in front of her as if to make her stay put. He jogged away towards the forest line as she watched in confusion. Standing up she brushed off her jeans and stared at the forest where Jacob Black had entered.

Not even a minute later her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she watched an enormous russet colored wolf walk out of the underbrush. It walked towards her, and she stood her ground. Her heart banged against her rib cage, but she did not flinch as the horse sized wolf walked up to her. It stopped only a few feet away and they stared at one another. Despite the fact that the body was completely different, hell the species was completely different, when Isabella stared into the creature's eyes she was filled with the same calm that Jacob's gaze brought her.

The eyes were completely the same. Dark, deep brown in color. Entirely soothing, and endlessly filled with emotion as they stared at her. Except this time she felt that he exuded nothing but power. She knew that there was still an underlying tenderness for her, but this was not Jacob Black the man standing in front of her. This was Jacob Black the alpha of the pack, protector of La Push, and now keeper of Isabella Swan's soul.

Isabella felt her knees wobble from the feeling of raw emotion that pounded into her and she saw the wolf quickly step towards her, allowing her to grab onto the thick coat on his body to steady herself. His fur was still warm, and while his coat was coarse, she enjoyed the feeling of being so close to him. She felt her body relax to the the highest degree. Her soul recognized that there was nothing that she had to worry about in that moment. She had her protector next to her and nothing would happen to her.

"Jacob... This is... Incredible," Isabella spoke softly. She ran her hands through his fur and felt a growl rumble through his body underneath her hands. She smiled slightly and leaned in closer. She could smell the scent on his fur, something like the earth and a decidedly masculine scent that Isabella could not identify, and the overpowering urge to rub her face against him came over her. There was no more room for rational thinking inside of her mind, and she understood that everything he'd told her was true. She truly was his wolf's soul mate, as well as his own. Who was she to deny the wishes of the Gods that had so obviously brought them together? Who was she to argue against hundreds of years of legends that she now knew were true? She'd had no power over her soul merging with Jacob's and she knew that she would have no power over attempting to break their souls apart.

"I don't even have words for what I'm feeling right now," Isabella murmured as she once again felt the need to press and rub her face into his fur. Without warning he pulled away from her and trotted towards the forest. Less than thirty seconds later Jacob was running towards her, dressed in his jeans and well fitting black t-shirt. In that moment, after finally understanding why she was so drawn to him, and actually accepting what had happened, she was finally able to truly appreciate how incredibly handsome he was.

His height of over six foot five was daunting, but he was proportionally muscled with smooth russet skin flowing over the pure muscle of his body. His face had not an ounce of fat on it, with a wonderfully strong jaw line, and amazing facial features. His black hair was not as short as the other boys but still jaggedly cut, and then there was his eyes. Those eyes that Isabella had absolutely no words for.

They stared into Isabella's as he finally stood in front of her, just as he had within his wolf form. She knew that he was studying her features just as she was doing to him. There was a certain acceptance that hung in the air. There was the taste of a promise on the sea breeze. And so they stood there for moments on end, just looking at one another. Taking in the realization that they had finally found each other. It felt, almost, like the calm before the storm.

And then all at once, they had lunged towards one another. Isabella was unsure of who had moved first, or if they had just moved at the same time, but they both were overcome with the blinding need to be closer to one another. Isabella nearly slammed into Jacob's chest as she ran at him, but he caught her smoothly as if she weighed no less than a feather, crushing her into his body while her legs automatically wrapped around his waist. Her arms flung around his neck as she buried her face into the crook between his neck and shoulder. She could smell the distinctly earthy scent from his fur that was now etched into his skin. She breathed him in deeply and a searing heat raced through her entire body. It was as if she could physically feel her soul touching and merging with Jacob's for the first time.

"_Oh God, Bella. My Bella_," Jacob whispered brokenly into her shoulder as he nuzzled against her, his arms wrapping around her tiny frame and holding her to his own body with the pure intent of never letting her go. She felt him move and realized in the back of her mind that he had sat down in the cold sand. She felt tears start to leak from her eyes, but she had no explanation other than the enormous surge of emotion that had swelled through her entire body. Jacob's hand tangled itself in her hair as he drew her head a back away from him, but only enough for him to be able to skim his lips up the column of her throat. She felt him nuzzle in the soft spot below her ear, and her body's temperature rose until she felt as though she was on fire.

Her fingers were frantic as she leaned back and touched the lines and edges of his face, light as a feather. She watched Jacob's eyes close as he let out a shaking breath, letting her touch him as she pleased. Letting her explore him as he was also trying to do to her. His hands moved from her hair to both of her flushed cheeks and he opened his eyes once again to stare into her own. There was a fire raging in his eyes, and while he was now phased into his human form, Isabella could feel the familiar aura of power that had oozed from his wolf form.

In that moment Isabella could feel the war inside of her own body. Her primal soul was clawing and fighting with her rational mind for dominance. The only thing her body wanted to do was submit to the powerful alpha that held her body in the cage of his arms. She wanted nothing more than to give her body over to the man she had no doubt was her soul mate. She could see Jacob's face leaning closer towards her own, and every nerve in her body screamed to close the distance. Instead her mouth opened and she spoke before she could stop herself.

"Jacob, I need to go home soon..."

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_I can't be giving you guys too much of the good stuff... yet! I hope you liked the chapter, feel free to leave any feedback you might have, and thank you for reading!_


	10. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_There are no words for how incredible you guys are, but let's just say that my socks of sufficiently knocked off! Thank you for the amazing feedback for last chapter, and I hope you enjoy this one! Happy reading! :)_

Chapter Ten

_"Jacob, I need to go home soon..."_

The words hung in the air and Isabella cursed herself for even opening her mouth. Jacob sat frozen with her still perched on his lap, their arms wrapped around each other like they were lifelines. Which in a sense, they were, Isabella reminded herself

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean-"

"No, honey, no. It's completely fine. I got a little carried away... My wolf... It's hard to explain, can I just have a minute?" he tried to reassure her with a small smile, tenderly brushing away some hair that had floated in front of her face. However Isabella could still hear a tight edge on his voice, like he was trying to reign in the beast inside of him. She nodded wordlessly, not trusting herself to not say something else stupid.

She sat there, completely content, embraced in his warmth as she listened to his breathing start to slow down. While waiting for him to regain control over himself she laid her head back down onto his shoulder. The heat from his body soaked into her skin and she could not feel the cold breeze off of the ocean. The sun had finally disappeared from the horizon, while the colors still stained the darkening sky.

Isabella found that her mind was blissfully blank aside from thoughts of how happy she was and how she felt as though she finally belonged. She knew that her place was within Jacob's arms and it always would be.

After an amount of time that Isabella was unsure of, she felt Jacob's hot hands glide up her back and reach to gently stroke her hair. It was so tender that Isabella felt as though she was about to cry. She stayed still with him for a few more minutes just revelling in his warmth and the utter feeling of completion that she was enveloped in.

Finally she pulled her head up from his shoulder and looked into his face. He gave her a soft smile and she could see that the man was once again in control of the beast. She returned his smile, if not a bit shyly.

"You ready to go?" Jacob asked quietly and she nodded, although the reluctance was heavy in her chest. She couldn't even think of going back home and driving away from him again.

"I don't want to hurt anymore," she whispered, trying to clear her throat a bit as she looked into his eyes. He understood what he meant and rubbed his large hot hand up and down her back again.

"I won't be too far away, honey. I won't let you hurt anymore," he smiled back at her. She sighed and moved a little to get off of Jacob, but instead he tightened his muscular arms around her. She raised her eyebrow at him and he laughed a little.

"You are going to have to let me go eventually you know," she said to him with a smirk. Jacob shook his head in response and shifted back onto his feet in the sand. He shifted one of his arms to wrap underneath Isabella to keep her body from slipping down the front of his as he walked them both towards the small parking lot.

"I'm never letting you go, Bella," he whispered against her shoulder. Isabella once again felt the thrill of happiness at him calling her Bella. It felt special when it rolled off of his lips, but still she blushed and looked back out over the dark ocean. Jacob's laughter rumbled deep in his chest and seemed to vibrate through Isabella's body. She smiled at the sound, but the frowned as Jacob's arm loosened around her when they had reached her small blue Kia Rio.

Reluctantly she unwound her legs from his waist and let herself onto the ground. She did not step away from his body, and instead looked up at him. He did not look like a nineteen year old student anymore. He looked like the man that she was meant to spend the rest of her life with. She knew that she wasn't entirely in love with him, but without a doubt she knew her soul was the other half of his. He was hers as much as she was his.

"I don't want you to go," she whispered to him and looked away from his face out over the ocean and at the horizon where the sun was gone and the stars were beginning to appear. She could feel a knot in her stomach at the thought of him being on the reservation while she was alone in her apartment.

"Don't be sad, there's no reason to be. I'll be close," Jacob reminded her in a soft voice and she looked back to him. She nodded and without warning his hands reached up for her cheeks again. He held her as though she were delicate, but at the same time his hands were comfortable tight, like he could never hold her close enough. She stared into his deep eyes, drowning in their depth and revelling in their security. He said nothing as he leaned forward quickly and pressed his lips to her forehead.

The effect was immediate, and Isabella felt the spark from his lips travel from her head all the way down to her toes. It warmed her up, and made her heart crash loudly in her chest. She couldn't help but think about what other effects he would have on her body, especially if this was how she was going to react to just a kiss on the forehead. She felt his lips curve up on the skin of her forehead and he placed another chaste kiss at her hairline. He pulled away and opened up the door of her car so that she could get in. She slowly sat herself into the car and he tucked some hair behind her ear while leaning next to the open door.

"I'll be nearby tonight, so don't worry about that. Maybe tomorrow we can talk again? You can come up with some questions and I'll answer them?" he asked her, keeping his hand in contact with her for as long as possibly. She nodded and let out a sigh while starting up her crappy car.

"Goodnight, Jacob," she said to him in a sullen voice and reached for the door. Jacob's hand shot out and stopped it before she could though.

"Call me Jake... The only people who call me Jacob are my dad and the elders. I want you to call me Jake," he said to her, his eyes boring into hers. She was left breathless and could only nod at his suggestion.

"Goodnight, Bella," he smiled at her and let go of her car door, taking a few steps back.

"Goodnight... Jake," she responded, letting the name slip off her tongue. It sounded right to her. It sounded like it belonged. Jake and Bella... They sounded like they belonged.

She shut the door and gave Jake one last glance. He raised his hand to wave to her, and as she turned her car around to leave the parking lot. She tried not to look back as her chest throbbed slightly at even the thought of leaving him. She choked back her tears and started the drive back to her lonely apartment.

The night was still clear when she finally got back to her own place. She could see the half moon in the sky with the stars. For the millionth time since leaving the parking lot at the beach she thought about what Jacob... No, Jake was doing right now. She couldn't feel any ache in her chest, and it reassured her that he was close by.

Was he in his human form or his wolf form? She wondered if he would get cold during the night. What was it like to be able to change into a giant wolf at any given time?

She realized that she should be writing down all of these questions and she nearly sprinted into her house at that thought. Once she had kicked off her sandals and grabbed a notebook and pen out of her school tote bag, she collapsed onto her couch, covering her legs with the blanket. She wished that Jacob was with her to keep her warm since her heating system was such a piece of crap, but she knew that it was impossible for him to stay with her in her apartment.

Instead, she occupied herself with making a list of questions she had for Jake that she would be able to ask him tomorrow. The list wasn't too long, but she couldn't think of anything to ask without sounding stupid. Jake didn't seem like the stereotypical werewolf, and she didn't want to ask something like if silver bullets would kill him. Isabella was positive that silver bullets would kill anyone.

But then there was the idea that cold ones were real... Real vampires? The thought sent a shiver down Isabella's spine out of fear. Jake seemed so warm and welcoming, sure she had felt how much power he had exuded, and he was made of all muscle. He could easily kill anything that crossed his path, but he didn't seem like he could. No one would suspect him to be anything more than an incredibly attractive and tall man from the reservation. She couldn't understand how vampires were able to walk around among humans without being detected. What did they look like? Did they really drink blood?

There were so many questions buzzing inside of her head that she was beginning to think that she wouldn't be able to fall asleep. She was so caught up in thinking about the days' events that she didn't realize how truly tired she was. Her thoughts merged into dreams as she fell asleep on the couch with her notebook resting on her chest.

-8-

In the morning Bella woke with a jolt. Immediately her mind began to race as she began to worry she had woken up to last, that Jake wouldn't come, that the entire scene at the beach had only been a dream last night.

But as she sat up in her haste to get somewhere she had no idea she needed to be, something dropped off of her lap and onto the floor. As she looked down she saw the familiar notebook with her flowing cursive handwriting on it. All of her questions that she would be able to ask were written there. Every answer that would change her life was waiting on that plain piece of paper.

She also remembered what had happened last night. Every touch seemed amplified in her memories of the beach. She felt an acceptance wash over her and she smiled to herself, finally at ease.

Picking up the notebook off the floor and putting it on her coffee table she checked the clock on her cable box. It read that it was only nine thirty in the morning. She wondered how they would meet this afternoon, but then again, she knew better than to worry about things involving Jake anymore. She knew that he would always find a way to get to her.

She tried to busy herself right away by going into her bedroom and changing out of the clothes from yesterday she'd slept in by accident. After looking outside it was no surprise that it had started to rain again. It was as if the weather knew that there could only be one day of sunshine allowed at Forks.

Sighing, she grabbed her favorite pair of jeans from her third drawer down, they were soft from wearing them so many times and they fit like a glove. She slipped on some socks and a loose fitting white t-shirt with a subtle v neck. Leaving her hair down she walked back down the short hallway and into the kitchen. Bella couldn't resist picking up her question filled-notebook and looking them all over.

She wanted to be completely sure that she would not be left in the dark anymore, about anything. She needed to know what she was dealing with, other than a seriously good looking wolf-man. And with that, more thoughts of him flooded her head.

Bella shook her head slowly on her shoulders as she closed her eyes and relived what had happened yesterday. Her heart beat steadily increased its tempo and she darted up from her chair, suddenly needing a distraction. She put on some tea and paced around her kitchen. She was fidgeting from wondering when Jacob would arrive. She couldn't help but wish he would appear sooner. And as if she had summoned him through her mind, just as the kettle on the stove started it's shrilly whistle, there came a knock on the door.

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_It's a little shorter than the last one, I know, but good things come to those who wait! I promise! Feel free to leave any feedback you have on the chapter, and thanks for reading!_


	11. Chapter 11

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_You guys never cease to amaze me! Thank you for the feedback, it means the absolute world to me! You were so good about the skimpy chapter yesterday, and so here's something with a little more meat! ;) Kinda... I hope you enjoy the chapter, happy reading!_

Chapter Eleven

Bella practically threw the kettle off of the stove and onto the pot holder she had placed on her counter top, shucking off her oven mitts in the same movement. She didn't pause for even a moment as she launched herself towards the door. She could feel the heat surging through her body as she whipped the door open hastily, and her eyes finally fell upon Jake's face. Her lungs released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and she felt her muscles uncoil completely.

"You gonna invite me in or do I have to stand out in the rain?" Jake smirked at her and Bella practically jumped into his arms right there.

"Oh, right. Come in," she said to him, totally flustered. His husky chuckle seemed to buzz through her veins as she stepped aside to let him walk in. She looked outside in the rain cautiously and was satisfied that no one had seen him walk in. However she also realized that his motorcycle was not parked out front either. As she closed the door behind her and turned around she saw him standing behind her. The warmth that his gaze filled her with did not prevent her from blushing.

"What?" she asked him with a raised eyebrow. She didn't want to let on how intimidating his stare actually was.

"Nothing, Bella. I was just looking at you," he smiled at her. Once again she found herself helplessly smiling back at him. After a moment she remembered why he was truly here and she walked towards the kitchen.

"Do you want something to eat? I really don't have that much, I need to go shopping soon... But I made tea. I can make something else? Do you want anything to eat? Or something different to drink?" she started to babble nervously walking over to the kitchen counters.

She wasn't expecting the sudden feel of two large hot hands landing on her shoulders. Bella's breathing hitched in her throat as one of his hands moved her hair over to one shoulder and his nose glided from the base of her neck up behind her ear. Her body shuddered as she unconsciously pushed her body closer to his heat. He chuckled again in her ear, his hot breath washing over her skin and sending a spike of heat up her spine.

"I'm fine, Bella. Don't worry about me. I'm just content to be near you again," he whispered sincerely.

"I thought you said you were close by?" she asked slowly, trying to take a deep breath to clear her head. It wasn't successful.

"Oh, I was. But being phased in the forest and listening to your breathing is completely different from being able to feel you and know for sure that you are safe. It's a-"

"Wolf thing?" Bella cut him off and turned around to face him. She could clearly see the relief etched into his face from being with her once again. It was the same relief she felt in knowing that he was actually with her.

"Yeah... So where do you want to do this?" he asked, his mouth twitching into a smile. Bella paused and the image of her bed flashed through her mind. Quickly she clamped down on those thoughts that tried to break her focus, and she pointed a finger to the small doorway that led to her living room.

"In there? If that's okay?" she looked at Jacob to gauge his reaction.

"Sure, sure. You're running the show today, honey," he soothed her and she nodded.

After fixing herself a mug of tea she walked into the living room and sat on her small sofa, pulling the blanket over her legs as she did so. Jacob came and immediately sat next to her. It was like the awkward moment on a first date when the boy could not figure out whether or not he should put his arm around the girl.

Bella giggled and Jake sent her a questioning look.

"It's nothing," she smiled and then picked up her notebook off the coffee table in front of her, casually leaning into Jake's side as she sat back. They fit together seamlessly. Her body formed to his side as his arm wrapped around her torso effortlessly. They just fit.

"Okay, Bells! Fire away!" Jake said with a grin as she sent him a wry look. He shrugged at the use of the new nickname, "It had a nice ring to it," was his joking response and Bella couldn't help the small fit of laughter at his lame attempt at a joke.

"Alright, alright. Quit laughing at me and get on with it, woman!" he poked her side playfully. Bella quickly sobered and steeled her resolve to get through this. She needed these questions answered if she was ever going to fully understand what she was getting herself into.

"I guess, I'll start with the easy ones?" she said, although it came out as a question as she perused the list she'd made last night. As she stared at them, she grew more and more uneasy about asking him some of her questions. What if he thought they were stupid?

"Why are you nervous?" Jake stiffened beside her, sensing that his mate was not completely at ease. Instinctually Bella placed her hand facing upwards on his thigh and he instantly wrapped it up in his large, tan one.

"I'm not," she squeaked out pathetically, keeping her gaze on the page in front of her.

"Don't lie to me, Isabella," Jake's voice rumbled deep in his chest. His tone was serious and there was no room left for joking, but she recognized it as a less intense version of the commanding voice she'd heard in her classroom last week.

"Why do you do that with your voice?" she asked suddenly. It hadn't exactly been an attempt to change the subject, but she wasn't going to deny how well it worked. He looked at her, confused.

"What do you mean, exactly?" he asked.

"Sometimes when you ask... well I guess it comes out sounding like a demand. It vibrates my bones. It feels weird..." she tried her best to explain the odd phenomenon, waiting to be called weird. However enlightenment dawned on his features and he nodded.

"That's the alpha voice. I usually use it on the pack. It's when I give them an order and they are bound to do it. It's an unbreakable word that only the alpha can use. I didn't realize that you could feel it too..." he frowned at the end of his statement.

"Well... I feel it, but I don't think it works on me entirely. You used it, last Tuesday, in the classroom? When you'd told me to tell you why I was hurt. It was the same command, but clearly I didn't follow it because I ran in the opposite direction,"she tried to joke. Jake huffed a laugh from over her shoulder, but said nothing else. Bella took it as an invitation to continue her interrogation.

"Uh... Okay, here's another question, how come all of the boys in the group are so huge? You guys all look like you're on steroids," she wondered.

"It's a pack," he corrected while his hand found purchase on a sliver of skin at the edge of her shirt on her hip bone.

"What?" Bella was slightly dazed at the skin on skin contact from Jake.

"We call ourselves a pack. We're wolves, so it's not a group," he finished and she understood, nodding, "And we're so large because of the transformation... When someone phases for the first time they undergo immense physical pain. It's something like being torn out of your own skin and put inside of a beast that can't be controlled. Our entire bodies change because not only do we become the wolf, but the wolf is reflected while we are human. We can heal incredibly fast, and you might have noticed how our body temperatures are much higher than average.

"Every wolf in the pack runs at a temperature between one hundred and seven to one hundred and nine degrees. Not to mention we're faster and stronger, so our bodies need to compensate. I wouldn't be able to protect my tribe if I was still some skinny preteen. Especially not from a cold one."

"A vampire?" Bella squeaked out, still not fully comprehending the idea of creatures like that existing in the world. Jake's fingers rubbed a slow, soothing rhythm against the skin of her hip and it made her breathing calm.

"Yeah, they're real. They smell disgusting, like something so sickeningly sweet it burns your nose,"

"The dentist multiplied times one hundred," Bella supplied and Jake laughed deeply.

"Exactly... They're pale while and they're skin is freezing. They can't be killed by anything, except maybe a werewolf. And we have to rip them apart and burn the pieces... Otherwise they'll put themselves back together and seek vengeance."

"Wait... Put themselves back together? Okay, no, hold that thought. Do they really drink blood? Do they have fangs and can they walk around during the day?" the questions tumbled out of her mouth. She was sure that he would tell her so many terrifying things that she'd never leave her house without a necklace of garlic and a wooden stake in her purse.

"No, honey. They aren't like the vampires in the horror movies. Although, they do drink blood and they are very dangerous. They look like humans, but they are... Well... They're way more attractive than any regular mortal. And from what I've heard from people they give off a weird vibe... A human can sense that they're in danger without actually knowing what they are... And from what I know they can walk around during the day, but not in direct sunlight. My job isn't exactly to learn about them, it's to learn how to kill them."

"Oh... And you said there was a family in Forks? Will I ever meet them?" Bella asked slowly. The sharp, menacing snarl that came from Jake made Bella jump out of her skin, but also made her push herself closer into his warm skin. On instinct Jake wrapped both of his arms around her and pulled her on top of his lap, crushing her into his chest.

"No. You will never meet them. Not if I have anything to say about it," he growled under his breath. She understood that the idea of her being near his mortal enemy was enough to make him angry and even more fiercely protective.

"Okay... So what about phasing? What triggers it?" she quickly changed the subject to try and soothe the man whose inner beast was clawing at his insides to be free.

Their conversation continued. Jake would explain to the fullest degree everything that Bella asked of him. She learned how the phase is mostly triggered by anger, but that's when it's uncontrolled. After they've been phased for awhile it becomes easier for the man to control when he phases. He went on to explain who was in the pack and where the were on the ranking scale. He explained how it wasn't normal for so many people to be phased, especially a girl like Leah.

"Wait a minute! Leah is a wolf? So she knows about imprinting? How you imprinted on me?" Bella forced him to stop, picking up her head from its intimate spot in the crook of his overheated neck.

"Yeah, the entire pack knows I'm mated to you, well... not entirely, but..." he drifted off but she was focused on the memory of Leah at the cookout.

"She seemed so angry. She made a quip about student-teacher relationships," Bella thought out loud and Jake nodded with a serious expression.

"Yeah, I made sure to speak to her about that... Honestly Bells, she's just bitter about everything... You see, Sam and her were together until he phased... and then imprinted on Emily... who was her cousin," he spoke slowly and Bella gasped at what he'd told her. Poor Leah, no wonder she was such a bitch towards imprinting, it was completely understandable.

"That's so awful..." Bella whispered as she stared down at her hands. She felt bad that she'd thought Leah was such a bitch. Now she understood to at least a partial degree why she'd been like that...

"Eh, it's actually pretty annoying," Jake sighed and Bella glared at him, "What? I have to listen to her constant bitching and moaning all the time in my head while we run patrols! It drives us all crazy!" Jake tried to explain.

"You hear her in your head?" Bella asked curiously.

"Oh yeah. It's called the pack mind. While we're phased as a wolf we can hear each other in our minds, see our memories, see what we're thinking about. There's no room for secrets basically," he said and clarity dawned on her.

"So you have to listen to her bitching all the time, but she probably has to listen to Sam think about Emily all the time! Emily's his imprint, isn't she? So if how you act is any indication of how he acts, then it's no wonder she's so pissed off all the time! I'd be pissed too if I had to listen to my ex-boyfriend think about how wonderful his new wife is, who just happens to be my cousin!" Bella exclaimed angrily. Jake stared at her levelly for a moment and then nodded.

"You're right Bells, it's unfair of me to be so harsh on her... Even though it has been almost a year for her."

Bella nodded with slight triumph and settled back into Jake's arms. He picked up a rhythm of rubbing her back with his hot hands. It kept her calm while she went over her mental list. She realized she only had one question left.

"How are we going to manage this relationship? I can't stay away from you. It hurts me, and it hurts you and I can't do that to us. But I can't be caught with a student, Jake. It would ruin my career completely. No school in the county would hire me... Maybe even in the state..." she breathed sullenly against his neck. It seemed as though they had run into a dead end. They had both accepted the imprint, they were willing to try a relationship, since neither could deny the soul wrenching need to be beside each other, but there seemed to be no way to reach it. It was the unattainable dream.

Jake seemed to sense her distress and pressed his lips into her hairline, gently breathing in her scent while she clung to him and tried to think of a solution. She could feel his pulse against the skin of his neck where her nose was nestled. She could hear the air whooshing into his lungs with every intake. The blood in her veins seemed to hum with the sheer intimacy of how close he was to her right now.

It was made her feel so content that she could almost imagine risking her job for it.

Almost.

"Bells... You won't have any trouble on the reservation. After the younger kids started to phase, Sam spoke to the principal and gave him... Well... an ultimatum would be a kind word for it, I guess," he muttered. Bella stared at him.

"Did he threaten Mr. Molina?" she asked seriously.

"I mean... What does the word threaten actually entail?" Jake asked, trying to lighten the mood. Without thinking, Bella wound her hand back and smacked his opposite shoulder. It took her half a second to realize that her hand probably hurt much more than anything Jake had felt.

"Don't do that again, honey. It's futile, and I was only trying to make you smile," he said to her with a roll of his eyes, but he still focused in on her hand, snuffling it a bit to make sure that there was no real damage done. "To answer your question truthfully, yes, Same threatened him. And while he doesn't know all of the details, if Sam were to come back and tell him to disregard any relationship outside of the school you have with me, then he would. Problem solved!" Jake beamed at her, but Bella was not amused.

"No, the problem is not solved! I'm not going to scare my boss into breaking the law! Jake, that's not fair to him! He could get in real trouble for letting it slide, just like I would if anyone outside of the reservation found out. We need to be careful. We can't let our emotions show through in class, we have to remain professional..." Bella trailed off, her brow puckering as she thought hard over their predicament.

"Okay, we don't have to threaten him... Not even a little?" Jake whispered into her ear, laughter laced around the edges of his request. Bella groaned in frustration as she pulled away from Jake and stood up. She glared at him, her eyes blazing and full of anger. How could he joke about something like this?

"I told you this isn't a joke, Jake! I love my job! It's what I've always wanted to do, and I understand that we have this imprinting, bond thingy, but I can't risk my job like that! It means to much! And if I were to lose it, then I wouldn't be able to come on the rez as much! I would be a shit show! I'd have to move away, and start over somewhere!" she practically yelled at him, ignoring the growl of anger coming from his chest and the dark look that was taking over his face, "I'm not going to threaten anyone, and I'm certainly not going to carry on as though it's fine to have a casual relationship with one of my students!"

She finished her tirade in a huff, her eyes wild and her cheeks flushed. In the blink of an eye Jacob had stood from the couch and began to stalk towards her. Unthinkingly she backed away from him just as quickly, finding herself in the kitchen and finally pressed against the countertop next to the stove. She watched breathlessly as Jacob prowled towards her, his body slinking like a stealthy animal, stalking its prey. The look on his face was dark, but his eyes showed her that there was truly nothing to be afraid of. He would never hurt her.

It wasn't until his body was pressed flushed up against hers, her back pressing into the sharp edge of the counter. She winced slightly, but Jacob picked up on it. Without a word he picked her body up effortlessly and set her down on the counter, maintaining the same intense eye contact. He leaned forward slowly and breathed his hot breath next to her ear.

"Let's get something straight, Isabella. I understand how much your job means to you. I see how your eyes light up every time someone gets a fucking question right when you ask it. I know how much it means to you because I can literally feel your happiness radiating off of you. It makes you even more gorgeous than you already are. But, maybe I'm being a selfish asshole for saying this, I need you for myself. I need to know you're safe, and happy, and that I can take care of you. While you might be able to leave this place, and heal yourself after breaking the bond, I would die," he whispered the heavy words to her, and her gasp of fear made him bring his hands to her jean clad thighs. He rubbed gently, as if to soothe her that he was still with her.

"I would die, Bella. That's the truth. I will not live without you. You are what holds me to the ground. It's not gravity, anymore, it's you. That's what it feels like to us when we imprint. It's as if a thousand steel cables are holding me to you. Everything revolves around you. Everything. And I refuse to stop seeing you, because that will only make you hurt. Please, Bells. We'll figure something out together, but don't send me away. Don't make me leave you."

His pleading was so quiet that Bella could barely hear him. As he brought his face back a few inches away from her ear she saw that his eyes were closed and his entire body was trembling. His hands remained on her thighs, rubbing them rhythmically and unconsciously. She stared at him and felt the familiar heat slide up her spine.

Without realizing it, her head tilted up, closer towards his own face.

"Jake," she whispered, her own lips so close to his. Jake's eyes opened slowly as he inhaled deeply and released it in a shuddering breath. They stared into one another's eyes, and she realized that there was no way she could make him stay away.

"We'll find a way," she sighed again, her breath washing over his face. She saw his nostrils flare slightly as he inhaled again, his eyes now burning into her own. One of his hands slid up her arm and over her shoulder to cup the back of her neck.

He didn't ask for permission aloud, because Bella's eyes had already agreed to his unspoken request. The air around them crackled and pulsed with the intensity of the moment between them. She could almost feel the sparks between their lips, as if there was a live wire in the centimeter of space between them. It was silent as they stood there, so close to one another.

And then, Bella surprised herself by making a small noise in the back of her throat, almost like a whine.

It was instantaneous, and as soon as Jacob heard that noise, his lips were crushed to hers.

* * *

_;) I hope you liked the chapter! Leave any feedback if you care to, and thank you for reading!_


	12. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_Holy monkeys! I'm speechless about the reaction to this story! The only things I can think to say are THANK YOU and Happy reading! :)_

Chapter Twelve

_Previously:_

_He didn't ask for permission aloud, because Bella's eyes had already agreed to his unspoken request. The air around them crackled and pulsed with the intensity of the moment between them. She could almost feel the sparks between their lips, as if there was a live wire in the centimeter of space between them. It was silent as they stood there, so close to one another._

_And then, Bella surprised herself by making a small noise in the back of her throat, almost like a whine._

_It was instantaneous, and as soon as Jacob heard that noise, his lips were crushed to hers._

The reaction was incredible. Bella had never felt so connected, both physically and emotionally, to someone in her entire life. The feeling of Jake's hot, full lips on her own yielding ones was something that she'd never imagined; something she'd never fathomed a kiss producing. Her entire body shook with the feeling of being reunited with Jake's soul once again. A growl vibrated against her lips as Jake's other arm wrapped tightly around her torso, reminding her that he was with her entirely. He was hers, and she was most certainly his.

His other hand tangled itself into her long hair and and he angled her face more towards his own. His lips were demanding and powerful as they convinced Bella's to open, leaving her vulnerable for his exploring, velvety tongue. She moaned at the feeling of his tongue caressing her own, and she gently sucked his tongue into her mouth, eliciting another growl from him. The noise shot straight to her core and her hand flew up to his hair, clenching it tightly in her fist. Her other hand drifted up his arm until it rested on his muscular shoulder, and she fisted the material of his shirt.

The haze in her head prevented her from even imagining them stopping. She felt Jake's hand around her waist retreat slightly, only to pry open her thighs so he could step between them. Without hesitation she secured her legs around his waist, pulling herself close to the edge of the counter so her body was in turn, flush against Jake's. Their lips take and give to one another, in a relentless cycle that had Bella's head swimming. There was no amount of his warmth that was satisfying to her, she constantly ached for more. Everything had to be more.

Finally, Jake released her mouth from his own enticing one, only to nip along her jaw line. Bella unconsciously let her head fall to the side, in a certain submissive way. Even through her haze she could sense the alpha power that fell off of him in waves.

A small, breathy moan left Bella's mouth at the sensation of his lips kissing and sucking a trail down her neck. He paused for a moment and sucked on a patch of skin for a few moments. It was then that Bella realized what he was doing, and jerked her head backwards suddenly, only to smack it soundly on the cabinet behind her.

"Oh, ouch!" Bella hissed in pain, while Jake tensed and drew back from her neck with concern in his lustful eyes.

"Honey, are you okay? Let me see it," he said in what Bella assumed was his attempt at being tender, although the gravelly lust filled voice did not have her thinking about the condition of her head. With gentle hands, Jacob tilted her head to the side and rubbed the pads of his fingers through her hair, stopping on a large bump when she hissed in pain.

"That was a good hit, Bells," Jake chuckled under his breath and leaned in to kiss the tip of her nose. Bella smiled slightly at him, but then remembered why she had moved away in the first place.

"Wait a minute! Did you give me a hickey?" Bella asked him with a glare. Jake's eyes widened, looking similar to a deer in the headlights of an oncoming eighteen wheeler.

"You did, didn't you! Seriously? What are we, in high school?" she huffed, crossing her arms, watching as Jake suddenly dissolved into laughter.

"Yeah, babe. Actually we are in high school together," he guffawed loudly, backing away a few steps so she was able to slide down from the counter. Bella rolled her eyes at him as she walked towards her bathroom to check the damage. Although, she couldn't help a smile at the sound of his laughter as soon as she passed him.

She flicked on the light in her small bathroom and pulled her hair back to see an angry red and purple bruise on her neck.

"Jacob! Really? I can't wear my hair up tomorrow, or for the entire week because of this! What if someone sees it?" Bella demanded as she poked at the mark, somehow wishing that if she touched it enough it would disappear. Jake appeared over her shoulder and smirked slightly when his eyes landed on the mark. Bella groaned in frustration at his lack of carefulness, but when her eyes caught his, there was something far more primal than just boyish antics.

Her heart stuttered and she found she couldn't look away from his dark eyes as he moved flush against her body once more. His hands pulled back her hair from her neck and he leaned down in a smooth movement to place a lingering, hot kiss on the still-forming bruise. Bella's eyes slipped shut on her own accord as her bones turned to absolute jello.

"Trust me, if I had it my way, it wouldn't be a hickey. It would be my actual mark so that every male in this town knows _you are mine_... But, since that can't happen yet I will settle for this," he growled seductively against her skin. Bella made another whining sound in the back of her throat, her eyes still shut tight, hoping to calm down her raging hormones. Jake seemed to sense that she was beginning to overload, and after kissing her mark again, scooped her up into his arms and brought her back into the small living room.

He sat on the couch and pulled her more securely into his arms. She laid her head on his shoulder and looked up at his face. He looked... content, she decided. Her hand began to trace designs on his chest and a tell-tale rumble of happiness vibrated his body against hers.

"I know I'm being difficult about a lot of things... But you do make me happy, Jake," she whispered against his shoulder. The rumble stopped and his arms tightened.

"That's all I want, honey," he replied in a completely genuine voice. Bella nodded and snuggled herself closer into him. The silence that enveloped them was soothing and she found that her heart had finally calmed in her chest. And to top it off, she couldn't feel an ounce of guilt for what had happened in her kitchen. Instead, she found herself blushing and her heart picking up speed again.

"Hey Bells, I'm _really_ trying to contain myself and my wolf from jumping you right now... And you're definitely not helping," Jake said with a smile in his voice. Which to be honest, only made Bella blush even more.

Jake laughed his sunny laugh and kissed the top of her head, "You're going to drive me crazy, woman!"

Bella started to giggle as well, finding his happiness completely infectious. It was a wonder how powerful and serious he could be, and yet how sunny and playful he was during other times. She wondered if the stern side was his wolf's personality, while the playfulness was the remnants of his human personality making its way to the surface sometimes.

"What are you thinking about so hard?"

"You," she replied honestly.

"Well then, I can live with that," he conceded and she smiled. She stole a glance at the clock and saw that it was almost five o'clock. She didn't want to move to make dinner, and as if on cue, her stomach growled loudly.

"Want to order some pizza?" Jake asked, and Bella realized that was actually exactly what she wanted to do.

And so, Jake dialed the number and Bella ordered one cheese pizza, and two pizzas with everything on them. The delivery boy had given Bella a strange look as she payed him for all three of the large pizzas, but she ignored it, happy that Jake had stayed with her. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but she truly did want him to stay with her all night.

They sat on the couch eating their pizza in content silence, stealing glances and sharing smiles. They didn't feel the need to fill the time with conversation. They didn't need to say anything, because they could feel one another.

After they were done, Bella curled up again in Jake's arms, feeling so small and delicate wrapped up in his muscular arms. She was completely soothed with everything having to do with the imprint, but there was a niggling in the back of her mind, letting her remember that she still truly did not know this boy. She needed to continue to get to know him, otherwise the entire imprint would only be infatuation from the bond. She wanted to grow to love him, or at least come as close as she could to it.

"Hey Bells?" Jake asked quietly, breaking her concentration.

"Yeah Jake?" she replied, still nestled in the crook of his neck.

"I think now would be a good time to suggest buying some curtains for your room. Otherwise I can't guarantee that I won't stare at you as you change..." he said, a smirk evident in his voice.

With a roll of her eyes, Bella realized that falling in love with him wouldn't be too difficult after all.

-8-

Bella had barely noticed the time flying past her as she engaged with Jake in trivial conversation. They spoke about things that they did by themselves, memories that they deemed important to share, and sometimes they would just sit in silence. Both of them revelling in the calming caress of their souls being together, and holding one another in their arms.

Her eyes began to droop and Jake announced reluctantly that he should be leaving, and she needed to get some sleep.

She saw on the clock that it was almost midnight. She was about to protest at his suggestion, but he'd already scooped her effortlessly into his arms and carried her towards her bedroom. She was let down to the ground next to her bed and stared at Jake for a moment. He met her eyes with a similar gaze. It was slightly painful to think of him leaving her side, if only for the night, but she was not ready for him to stay with her yet...

Slowly she reached her arms around his neck, and he leaned down to catch her lips with his own. This time, their kiss was slow and tender. His hands cupped her cheeks as they moved together expertly. As if they had been made for each other. They instinctively knew how to kiss one another to convey what they were truly feeling.

Bella finally broke away with a sigh, knowing that she would change her mind on Jake staying the night if their kiss had gone on any longer. Jake smiled a small smile at her, and leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

"Goodnight Bells, I'll see you tomorrow morning. I have to be back on the rez for my patrol, but I promise I'll come back to you as soon as I can," he whispered to her. She nodded in acknowledgement, not trusting her voice not to quiver as his hands left her face and he turned to leave her house.

She didn't hear the front door shut behind him, but she knew that she felt completely and utterly alone in that moment. She felt cold, and she quickly stripped out of her jeans and bra and hopped into bed. Laying down, she felt her exhaustion fall heavily on her body, making her eyelids droop. She was awake for only a few minutes after her head hit the pillow, but it was just long enough to hear the distant howl of a wolf in the woods behind her apartment.

_Two kisses!? In one chapter? I'm spoiling you guys! But hey! Leave some feedback if you care too and thanks for reading!_

_***Author's Note, Please Read!*** Hey guys! So first off, again I hope you enjoyed the chapter, but I wanted to let you all know that I will not be updating until Sunday, July 7th, 2013. My wonderful boyfriend surprised me with the knowledge that he's staying with me for the next week, and I won't have much time to post chapters during his visit since it's been awhile since I saw him last! But don't worry! I promise that Sunday the 7th will be worth the wait! You guys are all amazing and I love you! I hope you all have a wonderful and safe fourth of July and as always, Happy Reading! :) -W. M. Hunt _


	13. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_***Author's Note*: **Hey everyone! I'd like to give my sincerest apologies, I said I would update on the seventh and obviously I'm a little late. My boyfriend ended up staying until the eighth and after he left yesterday I was a bit upset. (I'm a baby when it comes to that stuff), so I wasn't entirely in the mood to finish the chapter until after a few glasses of wine had been finished off and the movie Bridesmaids had ended! But! Here it finally is! I hope you aren't too upset with me, and I'm going to hopefully be back on schedule from now on! Happy reading!_

Chapter Thirteen

When Bella's alarm went off in the morning, she could not explain the sense of relaxation that her body had drifted into. She felt so well rested, that she'd stared at her clock, wondering if the time was off and she'd overslept. However, she quickly decided that it had been the best sleep of her life, and continued getting ready for work.

She had been alright while she'd showered and dried her hair. But as she'd started to pick out her clothes, she began to feel the fluttering in her stomach that she'd thought she'd never feel again after high school. Bella found herself trying to find an outfit that Jake would find appealing, but as she reached in for her cream colored peplum dress, she froze in her place.

Her heart, instead of pounding quickly, almost seemed to slow down. The intensity at it's beating made her chest feel as though it was going to break free of her body. Not only that, though, she was suddenly overcome with the strongest feeling of aggression. It was a completely animalistic aggression that consumed her, and was gone in an instant like a shooting star, leaving her shoulders hunched and a light sheen of sweat on her skin.

_ Something was wrong. _

Before she could dwell on figuring out what was happening she gasped in pain as she felt something slice at her shoulder. feeling as though the skin had been cut through like butter. Falling to her knees she felt the stress and anger weigh down on her shoulders, coming from some unknown source. But at the same time she felt the desperate need to find Jacob. She knew something was wrong, and it had to do directly with him.

After a moment of sitting on the floor, her breathing started to calm, and when she felt at her shoulder, there was no evidence of being cut. The pain had since ebbed away and she stood up in a daze. Completely confused by what had happened. Her butterflies still occupied her stomach, but a new sense of urgency to get to the reservation had burned through her like a match doused in gasoline.

Without any regard for what Jake might like, she threw on the peplum dress and her favorite nude heels. She fluffed her hair once as she ran into the kitchen and stuffed all of her things into her tote bag. She didn't even grab her raincoat as she dashed out of her apartment and to her car.

Bella wrapped one arm around her chest as she sped towards the reservation. She didn't even have time to think of how lucky she was that she had not been stopped. The feeling of absolutely needing to be closer to Jake was overwhelming and dulled all of her other primary thoughts.

She pulled into a random parking space when she reached the school and whipped her door open. Bella snatched her bag from her seat and started moving before her mind could even register it. She walked as fast as she could without looking insane to her classroom, her heart pounding as she drew closer to the door. She needed to see Jake. He had to be alright. What if he was hurt, and what she had felt was just a shadow of something he had suffered? Someone would take care of him, right?

The thoughts buzzed in her head sporadically as she felt helpless. But when she reached the door and finally walked inside, there was no one inside.

Bella felt like sobbing. She felt like turning around and walking out of the school and never coming back. She wanted to run into the forest behind the school shouting for her Jacob, her wolf to come to her and show her that he was alright. She wanted to hold him, and cry in his arms out of the fear that perhaps next time he would not come back to her.

But she was a grownup. And she had to go to work. And no matter how strongly she wanted to tear into the woods to look for her mate, she could not.

Just then someone tapped her shoulder, and sent her jumping with fright.

"Oh, I'm sorry Ms. Swan! I didn't mean to scare you," Kim said with a small frown. Bella felt her heart calm as she stared at the girl. She was a beautiful native girl. And she knew that in some small way, Kim understood what she was going through, even if she said nothing about it.

"I-it's alright, Kim. I was just thinking," Bella whispered and Kim tried to smile at her.

"Taking a deep breath, and distracting myself always helps me," she replied back cryptically and Bella stared at her. She didn't have time to dwell on it because the other students started to file in. Robotically, Bella walked to her desk and began unpacking the things she would need, all the while keeping an eye on the door to the classroom and hoping that her Jake would walk through it.

-8-

It had been twenty minutes. Twenty full minutes since the bell had gone off signaling the beginning of class. Twenty minutes of Bella glancing at the clock and jumping out of her skin at the slightest sound coming from the hallway.

Jake still had not shown up to class, as well as both Embry and Quil, and after the gripping fear and anxiety she had felt this morning she felt as though she was going to burst out of her skin. She had no way of knowing what had happened to him, and she could do nothing about it. All she could do was ask her students to open their books and fill out the chapter review paper she had handed out.

Without realizing it, her eyes drifted back to the clock hanging next to the intercom speaker near the door... It had been twenty three minutes.

The air left her lungs as she blew out the deep breath she had taken. She tried to steady herself. Tried to calm her mind somehow, but she knew it was futile. Only Jake could truly relax her, and there was absolutely no chance that she would find any kind of peace today unless he was to give it to her.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw one of her students, a boy named Andrew, walk up to her desk, paper in hand.

"Can I help you, Andrew?" Bella asked in what she hoped was a light voice. She cringed inwardly when it came out sounding tight and tense. Andrew looked her over for a moment and she kept eye contact with her before speaking.

"I was confused with the wording on number four," he said as he showed her the paper.

"Okay, it says, '_Chillingworth seems to be growing increasingly suspicious, what are some of the things that he has noticed of Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale?_'. Do you understand what I'm asking?" she asked slowly, pointing at the sentence and then looking back at Andrew.

"So you're asking us to write down the things Chillingworth is suspicious of?" he asked and Bella nodded, opening her mouth to answer. However, her words were stole off of her tongue as the classroom door opened sharply. Immediately her eyes snapped to see the three tall native boys that had been missing from her class for exactly twenty seven minutes.

Her heart stuttered in her chest as her eyes found Jake's deep espresso ones. She could feel her body relax slightly, though her questions raged harder in her mind. He was here now. He was alright, but what had happened? Was he hurt?

"You're late."

That was the simple phrase that had fallen over her lips as she stared at the trio of boys. They all seemed confused for a moment and Bella realized that she was now standing, her entire body buzzing with the need to touch Jake. To truly see if he was alright.

"You know how I feel about being late, boys," Bella said, trying to put a glare on her face, though she was sure that the relief on her features prevented her from looking upset.

"Right, we're very sorry, Ms. Swan," Embry spoke up quickly since the other two boys had not provided anything.

Bella nodded, keeping her eyes on Jakes as he walked to take his seat with the others.

"I'll want to speak to you after class, please. Perhaps you'll need some reminding of my classroom rules," she said and then sat back down in her seat. Her hands shook and she clasped them tightly in her lap, focusing in on Andrew who had been seemingly paralyzed in front of her desk throughout the entire ordeal.

"Was that the only question you had for me, Andrew?" she asked in an even tone. It was taking every ounce of control she had not to stand up and cross the room to Jake. She could feel his eyes on her face, watching her. They burned her alive in the most incredible way that made her feel so utterly safe and at peace. She wanted to hold him and listen to his heartbeat. She wanted to be completely surrounded by the knowledge that he was safe and with her.

"Yeah, thanks," Andrew muttered and then returned to his seat. Some of the kids who had finished the review came and handed them to her, but she barely focused on them as she continued to be absorbed with Jake's presence.

"Alright, once you are done with the chapter review, I'd like to go over a few things since you're test is coming up in one week. I know that you all will ace it, but it doesn't hurt to review some things," Bella stood up as she spoke and grabbed a piece of chalk to write on the blackboard, trying to steady her ever shaking hand.

And so the class continued. Just like the beginning where Jake had not been there, it was now painstakingly slow because she could not wait until she could speak with him about what had gone on this morning.

Whenever a student asked a question Bella had to prevent herself from rolling her eyes. She had always loved teaching and helping students to understand something, but today she was not in any mood to indulge them. She wanted the bell to ring. She was sure she had never wanted a class to be over so bad, not even back when she was in high school.

It was another grueling thirty minutes that had passed when the bell on the wall finally gave its shrill ring and the students all packed up their belongings. She tried to appear as steady as she could while she watched the students leave, but she was taken aback when she watched Embry and Quil both leave the room as well, leaving her completely alone with Jacob Black.

Her eyes snapped to him as he stood and rapidly walked towards her desk. His hand had just barely brushed her cheek when she came to realization and jerked her head backwards. Every bone in her body was compelling her to lean into his touch, but she fought to regain control considering where they were currently.

"Jake, you can't do that here. It's not that I don't want to, but please don't make this any harder for me!" she whispered to him and his eyes softened.

"I understand, honey," he replied quietly and straightened back out. His height was even more daunting to her while she was seated, but she focused on his face and found herself comforted by the aura of safety surrounding her.

"For the record, I really am sorry I was late... There was a small dispute among the pack. It had to be taken care of quickly," Jake said to her in a serious voice as if he could read her mind and one of the millions of questions in there.

"What kind of dispute? Between whom?" she asked quickly. She wanted answers. Real answers. She felt a connection to the pack, as if she should also know their affairs, just as Jacob did. She knew that she had no true power over them, but the feeling as though she was helping to bear some of her mate's burden was enough to ease her mind.

"I really shouldn't say, Bells. It's complicated enough as it is," he said as he shifted on his feet. Bella was stunned for a moment that Jake, for once, seemed a little unsure of himself.

"No, you can't leave me hanging. I must know Jake, even if I can't do anything about it," she said with a small glare on her face. She saw Jake's lips twitch with a small smile as he looked back into her own eyes. Before she could find herself falling into the fathomless dark pit of his iris', he spoke again.

"It was between Leah and myself," he said in a hard voice. Bella's eyes rose on her forehead, almost touching her hairline.

"You and Leah? What was it about? Please tell me, Jake," she said to him, glancing at the clock on the wall. She had five minutes before her next class, and she'd be damned if she went through the rest of the day without any answers.

"Bells, c'mon. You don't need to get involved in that pack stuff," Jake tried to justify, but Bella's scoff instantly silenced him. In fact, she felt satisfied that he seemed a bit surprised by it.

"Don't even pull that on me, Jacob Black. You involved me in all of this 'pack stuff' as soon as you imprinted on me. Now tell me what you and Leah were fighting over," she nearly growled at him. He was silent for a moment and then sighed.

"She was upset over what I had told you yesterday. She doesn't like that you know why she's so angry all the time... It's just Leah being Leah... Don't look into it too far, Bells. She's all bark and no bite," he muttered and Bella pursed her lips.

"Oh please, didn't she hurt you this morning?" she asked and Jake's eyes snapped to her own.

"She managed to scratch my shoulder, but how would you know that?" he asked in a tense voice.

"My shoulder... It sort of felt like something scratched it. Of course that was right after I felt a surge of anger and aggression that was completely out of character for me. I wonder if it has to do with imprinting..." Bella trailed off, just as the five minute warning bell sounded for second period. In a split second she realized that Jake's body had started shaking violently in front of her desk.

She was out of her seat in a split second and standing in front of him in the next.

"I'm fine. Look, unharmed. there's nothing on my body, I'm not actually hurt. Please calm down Jake, I'm okay," she whispered to him in a soothing voice. The knowledge of what to do had suddenly sprung into her mind, but it had seemed to be working so she didn't think too hard on where the instinct had come from.

"I can't stand the thought of you being hurt," he said through clenched teeth as another tremor went through his body.

"I'm not hurt, Jake. Look, I am perfectly fine," she said again and he looked her over intensely. She eyed his hands at his side, they twitched with the effort not to reach out to her. They stood in silence for a moment before Bella saw movement outside of her door. Her second period students started to enter and take their seats, and she looked back at Jake.

"Perhaps if you need more help on this material we can work out a schedule of you coming to me after school, Jacob. Now please get to class," she said in a loud enough voice that the other students would be able to hear her if they were eavesdropping. Jake said nothing as he looked at her, his eyes rolled over her face and he finally nodded tightly.

She watched him pick up the rest of his materials from his desk, but she had to force herself to turn her back to him as he walked out the door.

As she picked up the chalk to write notes for her second period class she realized that her hand was shaking once again... This time, for an entirely different reason.

* * *

_So, there it is! Leave me your thoughts if you care to. I hope you liked it, thank you for being patient with me, and as always, thank you for reading! :)  
_


	14. Chapter 14

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_***Author's** **Note***: Don't worry everyone I didn't forget to update today! In fact I just woke up late this morning for work (maybe due to excess alcohol consumption last night) and I was in a complete rush to get out the door! Thank you for the feedback on last chapter and I hope you enjoy this one! Happy reading! _

Chapter Fourteen

When the last bell of the day had finally rung, Bella waited with bated breath, trying her hardest not to stare at the door, waiting for Jake to appear. Perhaps she had been too vague when she had suggested he come after school. Maybe he wouldn't show up again this time? She tried to take a deep breath and steady herself as she stuffed her books and papers into her tote bag.

It had finally grown quiet in her room and she turned to start erasing the notes on the blackboard when she was surprised by the soothing voice of her mate.

"If we're going to have to keep quiet about this entire thing during school hours, you shouldn't be allowed to wear things like that," his voice said seriously. Bella whipped around to look at his handsome face. His features were set in a stern expression but his eyes belayed his tone entirely.

"It's none of your business what I choose to wear or not. You're just going to have to deal with it, and besides, I didn't ask for you to come after school so we could discuss my wardrobe choices. I want to know more about this morning," she said levelly. He nodded and then looked over his shoulder at the door.

"Are you comfortable staying here, or should we move to a different location?" he asked, and Bella was happy that he was taking her job into his consideration.

"Will this be short or long? I can pass it off as extra help if it doesn't go over twenty minutes," Bella replied, glancing at the clock.

"It won't be longer than that," Jake confirmed and Bella took a seat at her desk again.

"Pull up that chair over there," she told him while nodding towards a lone chair sitting under the windows. As he did as she said, she began to pull out a book from her bag and opened it in front of her.

"You really don't spare any details, do you?" Jake asked with a smirk in his voice. Bella sent him a glare, and pushed her hair away from her face.

"If someone walks by and sees us together without a book, what kind of after school help session would that be?" she asked as she skimmed through the pages.

"A fucking awesome one," Jake snickered and Bella narrowed her eyes again, trying desperately to control the thoughts that made heat slide through her veins. For a moment she said nothing, afraid that she would voice her thoughts to him. Jake eyed her with a knowing smirk while his eyes burned her.

"No swearing in my classroom," Bella finally said with finality. Jake tipped his head backward and let out a loud guffawing laugh, automatically putting a smile on Bella's face. His happiness wasn't just contagious, it literally infected her entire being.

"Okay stop it! This is serious!" Bella hissed at him, trying to wipe the smile off her face. Jake's laughter calmed down again and he sighed.

"Sure, sure," he chuckled again and sent his sunny smile her way.

The pounding of her heart was completely involuntary as she averted her eyes from his handsome face and looked down at the pages of her book.

"So what happened this morning?" she asked finally, her voice low as she looked out the door into the empty hallway.

Jake's sigh was a tad frustrated and her eyes were drawn back to him.

"I've told you about the pack mind... How when we're phased we can see each others thoughts, ideas, memories, all that stuff?" he asked, and Bella nodded in response, "Right, so I was thinking about you, big surprise, and Leah had been running her patrol when I'd reviewed our conversation from yesterday. I didn't even really think about the effect it would have, but she saw what I'd told you about her relationship with Sam,"

"She left her patrol to come and cuss me out... Mad might be an understatement for how she was feeling, even with the enhancement of emotions in our wolf form. I got pissed off because she left her post during her patrol. She couldn't calm herself down and she attacked. I didn't think she'd actually do it, so I was caught off guard for a second and that's when she scratched my shoulder. After that I took her down and alpha ordered her to cool off, and that was that," he finished and Bella stared at him.

"Just a scratch? She didn't split open your shoulder?" Bella asked.

"Well, it probably broke the skin, but wolves heal about 85 percent faster than a human. It hurt for a minute, but it was completely healed by the time I got to class," he responded staring at her intently.

"I only felt the pain as soon as it happened, at least, I'm assuming it was as soon as it happened. I just knew that something was wrong... It was as if I had tapped into your emotions when you were in distress, is that a normal imprinting thing?" Bella asked, observing the light tremors going through Jake's body. She knew that he was under control, but this was obviously a difficult thing for him to talk about.

"It isn't normal. I have to speak with the elders about it, but Bells, I don't like you being hurt," his voice was almost a whisper. A tense whisper.

"We'll figure out why it happens, but until then I guess you just have to keep out of harms way," she said with a small smile, hoping to cheer him up again. Jake breathed out and nodded while Bella glanced at the clock. It had been a little over twenty minutes.

"We have to go, Jake," she said to him and found that he had already been looking at her.

"I guess I should leave first to avoid suspicion?" Jake asked slowly, his eyes roving over her. The heat that slid through Bella's blood was uncontrolled and she felt her pulse quicken.

"That's probably a good idea," she managed to choke out the words. He nodded and stood up, returning the chair to its place under the window. Bella stood up, watching the way his body moved underneath his clothing. A shiver wracked her body before she could stop it, and when Jake turned around his eyebrows were raised, lips pulled into a smile.

Walking back to the desk Bella felt her lungs struggling to get oxygen into her body. She waited for Jake to smirk, or say something. She knew that he could hear her reactions. That was something she'd have to get used to. But instead he reached out with his hand and rubbed the pad of his thumb on her lower lips, maintaining eye contact the entire time.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of listening to the effect I have on you," he whispered to her, and Bella couldn't help the small roll of her eyes.

"It's not fair, and it's embarrassing. You don't ever seem to change around me, you're always so confident in yourself," Bella replied softly. It wasn't an angry reply, but she held onto the hope that he could feel the same sexual connection that she did. She hoped that he could feel even a fraction of what her body felt when she was around him.

His face turned from soft and smiling to entirely serious as he gazed at her. His hand pulled back from her face and landed on the desk as his torso leaned towards her. She tilted her head back to look into his face, fighting for control with the need to launch herself at him.

"Whatever you are feeling for me, I am feeling ten thousand times over, Bella. Never doubt the connection we share," he said to her, his voice a deep timbre. If Bella hadn't already been sitting she would have fallen over with the intensity that pulsed through her body. The sound that she produced was a breathy kind, though she was too embarrassed to admit that it was closely related to a moan. She watched as Jake's eyes turned three shades darker and she swore that she could feel her body vibrate with his primal growl.

She couldn't tell how long they had stared at each other, both trying to reign in their desires. However, Jake finally leaned back, taking his hands off of the desk and backing up a foot.

"I have a patrol at sunset until midnight. I'll be close by after that," he said in a gravelly voice as he backed up towards the door, watching her the whole time, "Oh, and also, that dress makes your ass look fantastic."

With one last devilish smirk he disappeared from the doorway, leaving Bella alone to glare at his empty space. Although, she couldn't help the small spark of pride in her chest at his words. Smiling to herself, Bella stood and packed up her things in her bag. She walked out of the room and down the hall towards her car.

There were only a few kids outside of the school as she made her way to her car. She thought back to this morning and how many answers she had gotten today. It was slightly concerning to her how easily things could go from good to worse to better than she had expected. Shaking her head she drove back to Forks and to her lonely apartment.

As she walked into her apartment she ignored the slight ache in her chest, realizing that any time she was not with Jake it would be present. Setting down her tote bag on the kitchen table the phone began to ring.

"Hello?" she answered quickly.

"Hey kiddo! I was wondering if you'd be up for dinner tomorrow night?" Charlie's voice asked on the other end.

"Oh, yeah that'd be great! What were you thinking of having?" she asked him while taking out the papers she had to grade that night from her bag.

"Well I was hoping you would make something... The only thing I'm good at is grilling... I guess I also make a mean salad as well," he said and Bella laughed lightly.

"How's spaghetti and meatballs? I'll also make some garlic bread as long as you make the salad?"

"I can do that, Bella," he laughed at her.

"So I'll come over around six, is that good?"

"Sounds great, I'll see you then!"

"Okay, bye dad," she said turning her attention back on her papers as she hung up the phone.

The night after the phone call was filled with nothing interesting. Bella made dinner and cleaned up her apartment in a haze. She was preoccupied with not trying to think of Jake, which was an impossible feat to begin with.

When she saw that it was nine o'clock she almost felt relieved. Getting ready for bed she imagined the way that he had looked at her in the classroom today. The shiver that she felt roll down her spine was almost terrifying. The feelings that even a memory could produce was so incredible that Bella was beginning to think it was all an intricate trick.

With thoughts of her mate she fell asleep quickly, only falling into a peaceful sleep when the clock read midnight and unconsciously the ache in her chest dissipated completely.

* * *

_Leave some feedback if you care to! Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! I probably will update around this time tomorrow again since I'm a bit behind on my writing schedule. I'm going to take this weekend to catch up and get ahead with the chapters so I can get back to the morning posting routine! Thanks again!_


	15. Chapter 15

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_Hey everyone! Sorry about the slight delay on this chapter. I've had my mind in a million places at once, but hopefully you'll forgive me for not getting this out to you yesterday after I tell you that it's a bit longer than normal! Eh? What do yah think, am I forgiven? Anyway, thank you for the feedback you guys have given me. You are all rock stars and continue to blow me away with your kind and encouraging words! I hope you like this chapter, and as always, happy reading! _

Chapter Fifteen

Bella was happy that when she had woken up in the morning, nothing felt out of place. Her chest had ceased to ache and she felt content in the knowledge that Jake was close by and unharmed. There had been no other altercations... So far.

Getting ready for work she didn't rush. There was no need to today, and she spent the majority of her time thinking about all that had changed so quickly.

It should have felt odd for her to feel so utterly connected to just one person in such a short span of time. She should have been completely turned off by the idea of being forced to settle down with just one person for the rest of her life.

After growing up completely surrounded by her flighty mother's antics, she had sworn she would never be as carefree as Renee. It wasn't worth it to invest so quickly in a person. People change, and true love was never written in stone. There was always the chance that someone she thought would stay with her forever would leave the very next day. She'd seen it happen to her father when her mother had left, and she had promised herself that she would never become that person.

However, with Jacob Black, that was entirely not the case.

She'd never believed in fairy tales, but she'd had no trouble accepting that she had been chose as the mate of an alpha werewolf. She had felt the tug in her chest, the incredible pain from their separation when Jake had tried to give her space at the beginning. When he had tried to break the imprint.

A twinge of pain shot through Bella's subconscious as she briefly thought what would have happened if he had successfully broken the imprint. She wondered if it was even possible to do, especially for an alpha.

But still, she thought of how easily she had accepted everything into her life. How none of it seemed so strange that she should run away from it. She felt aligned when she was with her Jake. He was the warm sun that her life had been missing, and if he were to leave her, or vice versa, she would never be warm or happy again. He was everything now, and she accepted that she would always be everything to him

-8-

The school day passed much as the day before, although Jake had shown up on time today. Throughout her class she couldn't help but steal glances at him while she knew they were all busy writing notes, Jacob included. She had been sure that he hadn't seen her looking at him, but there was a clear smirk on his lips as he wrote down some of the definitions and notes she had given the class.

There was something in the way that he smirked like that, hell there was something in the entire way he looked that made Bella want to crawl out of her skin and jump straight into his. She wanted to be as close as possible to his heat and she wanted never to have to leave. Her body trembled at the thought of being in such close proximity to him. She wondered how they had managed to keep their hands to themselves so well since they had finally accepted the imprint.

She couldn't say that she didn't feel the incredible sexual tension between them. Every move he made seemed predatory and made her heart rate spike dangerously. If it had been any other man she most likely would have been embarrassed about her reactions to such simple everyday things that he did. Certainly no other girl would get turned on just by watching her boyfriend walk across the room to use the pencil sharpener. Then again, not many other girls had the connection with their boyfriends knowing that they were the perfect mate for the other.

Bella let the students get away without having any homework for the night, and reminded them of their test next monday as they packed up their things at the bell. Her eyes darted from her other students to Jake who had stood up to his full height and slung his black backpack over his shoulder. She watched his eyes raise up to her own and had to put a hand down onto the desk to keep her from wobbling on her feet when she saw how his eyes smoldered into her own.

He looked hungry. Desperate, almost. Bella couldn't tear her eyes away from his own dark ones. It felt as though they were having a silent battle of restraint between each other. She could feel his desire radiating off of him, just as she knew that he could feel her lust pouring coming off in waves. It was an undeniable need for each other that bounced between their gaze, making itself stronger with every second that passed.

"Jake, we gotta get to class," Embry's voice suddenly shattered the bubble of lust they had created around themselves. Bella blinked and felt her chest loosen immediately. It had been tight, though not in an entirely unpleasant way.

She heard a warning growl vibrate through her body as her mate showed his friend what he truly thought of his interuption.

"See you tomorrow, Bella!" Quil said as he left the room first. Bella smiled to him and nodded, not trusting her voice. Her eyes darted back to Jake's face, he hadn't moved yet from his spot. A nervous looking Embry shifted around next to him.

"Embry's right, get to class Mr. Black. Or else I'll have to write you up for being late," Bella said to him in a level voice. She truly hadn't meant the statement to be anything but authoritative, but she watched as Jake's eyes grow a shade darker, almost turning completely black. Blazing heat immediately surged through her veins and her breath caught in her throat at the pleasurable feeling before she quickly turned around and continued to concentrate her efforts into erasing the board with gusto. She had to be careful about keeping herself in control, especially in this kind of setting.

She didn't hear them leave, but she knew that they were finally gone when the scorching heat had left her bones and she was left in a slump. For the rest of the day she threw herself into her teaching. She needed any distraction she could to try and get the image of Jake's primal onyx eyes out of her mind. However, by the time the last bell of the day had rung she found that she was still just as flustered as she had been in the morning.

-8-

By the time she had gotten back to her apartment, Bella was pleased with the fact that her chest did not ache in the slightest. Jake was nearby, and that thought alone was enough to at least ease her nerves. She wasted no time in walking to her room and stripped out of her work clothes jumping into a simple outfit of jeans and a soft maroon colored sweater. She brushed out the tangles in her hair from running her fingers through it all day and then padded to the kitchen. She grabbed two boxes of spaghetti out of her cabinets and the ingredients she would need for the sauce and put them into a paper bag set on the counter, along with a loaf of italian bread.

It was odd for her to know she was going to spend a lot of time with her father. She knew that after moving to the same town as him it would be inevitable, but after growing up without him in her life for the most part, she didn't entirely know where they stood. Of course they loved each other, but they had no way of showing it truly. Their father daughter bond had run ragged after years of not being in close contact, and it would be odd to build it back up.

After gathering everything up, Bella slipped on a pair of sandals, grabbed her bag of food and locked her door behind her. On the drive to Charlie's the rain started to pick up a bit more, pattering against her windshield with more aggression. She pulled into his small driveway next to the police cruiser and rushed out of the car and up to the front door trying not to get too wet from the insistent weather.

Charlie opened the door as she made it up the front steps of the porch a small smile on his face.

"Want some help with that?" he asked as he reached for the grocery bag in her hands. She gave it to him as they walked into the house, closing the door behind her.

"Thanks," she said with a small smile and walked towards the kitchen. "When were you thinking about eating, just so I know when to start cooking?"

"I don't really care. I hope you don't mind but I invited Billy over as well. There's a Mariners game on at eight, so I thought we'd watch it together. You remember him from the cookout right?" Charlie said as he put the bag down on the counter. Bella's heart stuttered and she looked back at the front door back down the hallway.

"Yeah, I remember him... His son is in my class," Bella said slowly. She hoped her voice didn't sound too far away since her thoughts were going a million miles a minute.

"Jake? He's a good kid... A _big_ kid, but good nonetheless. He's really helped out Billy since his mom died a few years back," Charlie supplied in a normal tone, he didn't seem to notice how intently Bella was listening to the information about Jake.

"Really? I mean, I know he's taken care of Billy, but what exactly happened?" she wondered, trying to appear completely indifferent.

Charlie sighed and looked at her with sad eyes, "I think Jacob had to be around twelve years old... Sarah drowned out on one of the beaches on the reservation. They had to close it down because the waves get too big there, it was dangerous... No one really knows why she decided to go swimming in such rough water. It destroyed Billy, almost killed him actually... He'd taken up drinking in the couple of months following Sarah's death and he was out driving to the store to pick up more when he got into a serious car accident, hence why he is now in a wheelchair... Seems like a lot for any kid to go through. I'm almost shocked that Jacob came out so good after all of that."

When Charlie finished, Bella was completely silent. In her chest her heart felt as though her heart was being crushed and squeezed in someone's fist. There was no explanation for the pain she felt for Jacob. To have to go through that kind of turmoil was something she would never wish on anyone, especially not the man she was tied to.

As she stood still in shock about what he had told her, Charlie moved around her to walk back down the hallway. In the back of her mind she heard the front door open and voices speaking. Turning around slowly she felt the squeezing sensation in her chest cease entirely as her eyes met Jacob's. He watched her, concern clear in his dark eyes, but he made no move to come to her as he stood with his father, talking to Charlie.

The tightness in Bella's chest dissipated, and she found herself walking towards the small group near the door.

"Bella! It's nice to see you again, we didn't get a real chance to catch up on Sunday," Billy said with a smile. She didn't fail to notice the side glance that he gave to his son, but she resisted the urge to narrow her eyes in suspicion.

"It's nice to see you too," she smiled at him, trying to keep her body from glueing itself to Jake's. He was only a few feet away. He was so close. She could feel his body heat from where she was standing, and it called to her like a siren.

"Why don't I go start on dinner, and you boys can talk about... baseball or something," she said to them. Charlie and Billy both laughed and agreed as they made their way into the cramped living room. Jake paused for a moment, his eyes still tinged with worry as he looked at her.

"Do you want some help with anything?" he asked in a soft, deep voice. The timbre was evident in it, and she realized that he was much more concerned for her than he was letting on.

"Sure," she said simply, breaking eye contact with him and turning to walk back to the kitchen. She tried her hardest not to look back at him as she heard him walk behind her. Reaching into her bag she pulled out all of the food she had brought.

Not stopping for anything she continued to put around the kitchen, opening the different cabinets and finding all of the things she would need. She found a pot for the spaghetti and a large saucepan, along with a cutting board and a knife which she set down on the small kitchen table that Jake had taken a seat at. She could feel his eyes watching her every movement, although instead of feeling uncomfortable under the constant surveillance, she felt completely at ease. She felt safe.

"Can you wash the vegetables for the sauce, please?" Bella asked as she pulled out a strainer from a drawer.

"Sure, sure," came the answer in the same timbre voice from before. Silently he walked to the sink and started doing as she had asked. She couldn't help but peek at him while he worked. He was so quiet despite being so large, and she shuddered to think of the strength that his body possessed. Jake suddenly looked up as he turned off the water and met her eyes.

"What're you thinking about that has your heart pounding like that, Bells?" he asked quietly and she couldn't help but smirk at him.

"Wouldn't you like to know," she said as she stepped forward and took the vegetables out of his hand. Her entire body seemed to burst into flames when her skin brushed against his, and she felt and heard the deep growl coming from his chest.

Quickly she set down the dripping vegetables on the cutting board, her back to Jake as she picked up the knife and began to slice them. Almost as soon as she'd made the first cut she felt Jake's body behind her own, his hand stilling hers holding the knife.

"Can I do that?" he asked, his warm breath against the back of her neck. Without realizing it, Bella's body leaned back into Jake's and he welcomed her against him. His other hand grabbed her hip, his thumb finding a patch of skin under her sweater and she felt his nose against the top of her head.

"I think I can manage cutting a few vegetables, Jake, really," she tried to reassure him in a low voice that didn't sound anything like her normal voice.

"Please, Bells? It would make me feel better," he whispered and she finally relented, releasing the knife back onto the cutting board. Jake let go of her hand, but lingered a moment behind her before letting her move to the side. She tried to regain a regular pace of her heart as she watched him begin cutting everything much faster than she probably ever could.

"Show off," she muttered and watched a small smirk pass over his lips. However it was gone very quickly. Bella frowned in contemplation, wondering what was wrong with him. She hadn't felt him get hurt, or angry, she'd only seen the look of concern he'd given her.

"Why are you so distressed, you don't feel entirely happy," Jake said suddenly and her train of thought was broken.

"What?" she asked, slightly confused.

"I know when you are in distress. It's just this kind of instinct I guess. Part of the imprint is me needing to make sure that you're happy and content most of the time... When you aren't I get this kind of twinge, not exactly a pain, but a discomfort. I feel the need to be with you, make sure you're okay," he admitted and Bella stared at him.

"I'm distressed because you seemed concerned earlier and I don't understand why," she finally said, listening as her father and Billy laughed at something in the other room.

"I was concerned because I felt that something was wrong with you. I was worried because I thought you'd been hurt," he said, his eyes boring into her own.

She didn't know what to say. Would he be angry with her that she knew so much about his past when she had no idea if he'd be comfortable with her knowing everything? She didn't want to offend him and she couldn't bear the idea of him being upset with her.

"Nothing was wrong, I was fine," she said as she chewed on her bottom lip, averting her eyes from his own. She walked over to the stove and started to heat the water for the noodles.

"Honey, please don't lie to me. You know that you can tell me anything, I just want to keep you safe and happy," he sighed. Bella felt him move up behind her once again. She could not resist the urge to turn and look at him, but when she met his gaze once again his eyes were burning.

"I don't want you to be mad at me," she managed to whisper, looking down at her feet and not liking how she sounded like a small child. Jake's hand gently cupped her chin and sent heat deep into her skin, warming up her very soul. He pulled her face up to look into his own as he looked into her eyes.

"I could never be mad at you for anything," he assured her in his deep voice. Bella nodded minutely, but couldn't help tilting her face up slightly. She watched as his face dipped lower towards her own and her eyes fluttered close on their own accord. Her heart was about to rip out of her chest because of its pounding and her soul sang at the close contact with its other half. The anticipation of feeling his lips peaked inside of her body and mind. And then in a flash he was gone.

Bella's eyes opened, eyebrows high on her forehead in confusion as her gaze landed on Jake's back while he stood over the cutting board again, cutting up the green peppers at a human pace. Rejection washed through her body like acid, making her feel sick to her stomach. He had played her! Teased her until she'd thought she might explode and left her hanging. Anger began to replaced the rejection, though not by much. Jake sensed the inner turmoil of emotions in her and turned to meet her gaze, though his eyes were just as black and filled with passion as they had been earlier today though they also willed her to understand something. And then a voice broke through their silence.

"How's it coming? Smells pretty good!" Charlie said boisterously as he walked around the corner and into the kitchen. Jake turned and smiled at her father.

"I've been demoted to sous chef," he said in a joking way, but Bella still picked up on the gravelly tones of his voice.

"Of course you have, Bella's always been head chef, isn't that right?" Charlie laughed as he walked to the fridge and retrieved two beers. He glanced at Bella and she must have looked odd because he paused a moment, his eyebrows furrowing.

"You okay, Bella? You look a bit flushed," he commented in concern. That snapped Bella out of her haze and she nodded a bit too enthusiastically.

"I'm fine, don't worry. It's just a bit hot over by the stove, you know?" she said, trying to make her voice more level. Charlie stared at her a bit longer and then nodded.

"Alright then," he said and then turned to walk back to the living room. Bella didn't wait for Jake to meet her gaze again as she turned around and returned to her task. She had to make it through one dinner with her father not finding out that she was involved with one of her students. And already it seemed that her work was cut out for her.

* * *

_It seems that Bella is a bit flustered right about now! Tomorrow I plan to start getting back to the original posting time, so that's always good! Leave me some feedback on the chapter if you care too, but thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!_


	16. Chapter 16

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_Hey guys! Thanks for the feedback on the last chapter, you're awesome! I just wanted to address one thing though, I got more than a few reviews/messages asking about why Jake and Bella barely spend any time together. It's because Bella is still the teacher at his high school. Forks is a small town and gossip is easily spread, so they are still being extra cautious with where and when they spend time together. As it happens, Jake also has to do a lot for the pack being the alpha and all. I promise that everything will work out in the end though, just be patient with me please :) Hope you enjoy this chapter, and Happy Reading!_

Chapter Sixteen

"Bella that was absolutely delicious. I'm thinking that you should just move back in here and cook dinner every night," Charlie said with a content sigh and a smile as he leaned back in his chair. He'd had several helpings of the meal she had made, although Bella hadn't seen a single leaf of lettuce from the salad he'd made fall onto his plate.

Jake had warned her to make more than just two boxes of pasta, and although she had been wary of using the other two boxes Charlie had in his cabinets, she was pleased to see that there was nothing left. She knew that teenage boys were bottomless pits when it came to eating, but Jake had taken that assessment to an entirely new level.

"I'm afraid I'll have to pass on that offer, dad. I don't want you getting obese," she said with a smirk and both Bill and Jake chuckled while her father rolled his eyes.

"I just haven't had a decent meal in a while, is all," he muttered to himself and Bella laughed taking a sip of her water before standing to clear the table.

"Oh, Bella you don't have to do that, I can do the dishes since you cooked," Charlie started to protest, but Bella glanced at the clock. It was quarter of eight.

"I don't want you to miss your game, dad. Really I don't mind," she soothed him and he nodded at her.

"Suit yourself," he replied as he stood from the table and handed her his plate. Billy thanked her as well and sent his son another interesting look before he and Charlie headed into the living room. Bella heard the TV switch on and the hum of the announcer's voices started up. Again she was left alone completely with Jake.

Throughout the entire dinner she'd been forced to stay in her own seat while he sat directly next to her. Her knuckles now ached from clenching her hand in a fist to keep it from touching him during the meal. Every cell in her body begged to be close to him, but there was no way she would ever risk even the most innocent of touches while her father was sitting directly across from them at the dinner table.

She'd been so lost in thought that she hadn't heard Jake stand from the table and walk over to her. His heat signature is what brought her back to reality and she made eye contact with him.

"I wish this was different," he said slowly and Bella looked up at him confused. Did he wish he'd never imprinted on her? What was he saying.

"I mean, that came out wrong... I just wish that we didn't have to hide anything. I wish I was older, and this was me coming to meet your father and get his approval. I don't want you to feel nervous about anyone finding out. Not when I want to tell every person I know what an amazing person you are and that you are completely mine," he corrected himself in a firm voice as his hand soothingly brushed up and down her arm.

Bella shivered in an opposite reaction as the heat traveled into the deepest parts of her body.

"I do too, Jake. I understand the imprint and I would never trade the bond we share for anything, but I'll admit that this situation could have been a lot easier if some things were different... But they aren't, so we'll have to do our best," she replied with conviction and Jake smiled at her. This time it was a real smile. It was the sunny smile that made her whole body light up with happiness and it made her want to throw herself into his arms. She managed to resist though and smiled back at him instead.

"Let's get these cleaned up and then we can talk about earlier," Jake said, a hint of seriousness returning to his voice, though he smiled softly at her. She nodded in defeat and began bringing the dishes over to the sink.

Together they managed to clean up the kitchen quickly, though Bella dreaded their talk afterward. She did not want to hit a sore subject with the death of his mother. And she certainly did not want to offend him by presuming to know such an intimate tragedy of his life that he had not disclosed with her specifically.

Once they were finished Jake took a seat at the table and Bella went to sit across from him. She was stopped by his hand on her wrist as he tugged her into his lap firmly. Her surprise must have been clear on her face as she squirmed to get off of him.

"Calm down Bella, you're doing more damage by moving like that," Jake breathed out as he held her gently but firmly in his arms.

"What are you doing, my dad could see us," she whispered frantically as she glanced down at the archway leading into the hall.

"I will be able to hear them move if they do... But I highly doubt they will since the game has started. Trust me, not even a tornado would move them from that room at this moment," he said into her ear and started to rub her jean clad thigh with the large palm of his hot hand. It was as if he had flipped a switch with his touch and her body instantly relaxed against the heat of his own. She felt his chin find her shoulder and his breath skimmed over the column of her throat. Her eyes closed as she was immersed in the feeling of being so close to her mate. The utter contentedness filled every fiber of her body and she nestled in close to him, feeling his lips settle against the skin of her neck.

"Now tell me what you were thinking about that had you feeling pain, and don't lie to me this time, Isabella," he growled the end of his sentence, not to scare her, but rather to let her know that there was no room to argue with him. Involuntarily she shivered at his voice in her ear, earning a nip on her neck from Jake's teeth.

"If you keep that up I won't tell you anything," she hissed at him, though there was no real threat in her words. If she was honest with herself, if he kept using the bond and touching her in the way he already was she'd spill every secret she'd ever been told.

"I don't believe that," he responded as if he had read her mind, but still he moved his lips away from her skin and let her relax in the safety of his arms, "Now, speak."

Bella rolled her eyes at him, "I'm not a dog."

"I know you aren't, it was supposed to be funny, c'mon Bells, please just tell me?" Jake said softly and she let out a deep breath and steeled herself, hoping for the best.

"My dad told me about what happened to your mother... And your father. I was just so upset thinking about you going through all of that. No one should have to, especially not you. I can't explain it, but it hurt me to think of you being hurt," she finished in a whisper and Jake's arms pulled her tighter against him.

"Oh, honey. It's okay, you don't need to worry about any of that. I've come to terms with everything that happened to me. Yes, it was horrible, but I would be a very different person if it hadn't happened," Jake's voice tried to calm Bella down as her heart clenched again thinking of a young Jake dealing with the loss of his mother and having the care of his father thrust into his hands.

"But it's awful. I don't want you to be hurt like that, it hurts to know that I can't do anything to help you. I'm not strong enough to protect you from things, I don't turn into a mystical creature that can protect you. It's frustrating," Bella whimpered while traitorous tears pricked at the corner of her eyes.

She barely had time to resist before Jacob had stood up and maneuvered her body so she faced him. When he sat back down she was now straddling his lap while his fingers quickly brushed away her tears and pulled her body tight against his own.

"Baby, don't cry over that. I know it hurts sometimes. It's the bond, trust me I feel the exact same way about you, Bells. I would kill anyone that hurt you, but I can't help but be afraid that I won't be around to prevent it. I hate I can't be with you every second of the day, and it kills me to hide in the forest while I only want to hold you while you sleep. There are just some things we have to work around, and it's going to be difficult. You have to trust me, Bells that I will never let anything happen to you," he whispered. She looked at his sincere features. He truly was beautiful.

"I do trust you, completely, but Jake I want to protect you too," she said and smiled gorgeously at her.

"I know you do, honey. And that means more than anything in the world to me. You have to know that you help me more than you think you do. You've given me peace from my wolf since the imprint. For the most part, a wolf before an imprint is full of anger and aggression and when they find their mate, they are able to relax. They find solace in the mate and they are able to feel more human again. You help in so many ways, Bells. Believe me," he explained to her and she mulled over the information. She believed him of course, but the concept was an interesting one. Not to mention the feeling that spread through her body while he had been speaking.

It wasn't the blazing heat that raced through her veins when he looked at her with passion. It was a gentle warmth that encompassed her like a blanket, and made her feel safe and secure. For a moment she opened her mouth, words on the tip of her tongue, but she quickly shut it, and frowned in thought. Surely she couldn't feel that way about him yet... It had been only a few days...

Jake noticed her silence and spoke again, "Especially when you make sure I'm not late to class," Jake's lips twitched into a smirk and his eyes blazed devilishly. Bella sniffled a bit and laughed at him.

"Don't bring that up, you just have an extremely dirty mind," she said with a shake of her head. Jake smiled wolfishly at her and his hands slid down her back and began rubbing the tops of her thighs again.

"I am a high schooler after all," he grinned.

"That's no excuse," she tried to argue.

"Then again," he continued as if he hadn't heard her, "Maybe you should write me up... I wouldn't mind serving a detention with you."

Images of the scenario flashed through her head, although they were completely out of line and her face became the color of a tomato. Jake's eyes smoldered as he picked up on her reactions to the thoughts she was now having. She felt his hands rest on her thighs while his thumbs began rubbing circles on the inner part. Her breath caught in her throat and she felt her hips twitch involuntarily. It was incredible, the reaction she had to such a simple touch. It made her mind race with ideas of what other touches might make her feel like. Jake's chest rumbled with a pleased growl at her movement and his hands paused to shift her on his lap.

As soon as she moved she could now clearly feel how hard he was underneath his jeans. Obviously she was having the same effect on him. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her neck, and almost instinctually she turned her head and bared her neck to him. She could feel the aura of power coming off of him in waves and baring her neck to him came as a sign of submission to the wolf inside of him. Another more forceful growl left Jacob, traveling straight through Bella and causing her body to tremble with pleasure. She greatly enjoyed hearing the noises he made and knowing that she induced them.

Jake skimmed his nose along her skin, breathing against her. It was almost as if he was smelling her, but Bella had little time to think about it since his tongue then glided up along her exposed throat in a hot trail. The thrill that was sent down Bella's spine made her hips twitch once again, moving perfectly over his hardened length, producing a breathy moan from her lips and a deep growl from him. She felt one of Jake's hands move further in between her legs, the heat from it was travelling closer and closer to her center. Tilting her hips towards him she quivered with the need to have his hand on her.

She felt his other hand tangle in her hair and bring her face back to his own, his lips teasingly hovered in a light caress on hers. Their breath mingled together as their eyes stared into each others souls. There was no other feeling for them except for how right this all felt in this moment.

The moment Jake's hand finally reached her jean clad center, she gasped and pushed her hips towards him, seeking out the friction she so desperately craved. However, in that moment, Jacob stilled and pulled his head away from hers and tilted it towards the archway leading to the hall. In a flash she found herself sitting in her original chair while Jake now sat across from her.

"How're you guys doing out here? You're welcome to come watch the game with us," Charlie asked as he entered the kitchen, as Bella had knew he would. Bella's body still trembled from being so worked up and Jake spoke up, seemingly knowing she had no control in this moment.

"We'll be out in a moment, Charlie," he said with a sunny smile. He seemed so confident... As if he hadn't been about to finger her in her father's kitchen.

"Sounds good," Charlie replied after getting two more beers and walking out of the kitchen again. Bella let out a shaky breath and looked at Jake. His eyes were completely black as they stared at her still trembling form. She knew that he could feel her need for him, he could sense it without a doubt.

"I told you I'd hear him coming," he said with a small grin.

"My father has terrible timing," she grumbled under her breath and Jake laughed across from her. She couldn't stay upset with that sound coming out of him, and she found herself smiling slightly with him. He leaned forward then and patted her knee, giving her a sweet kiss on the corner of her mouth before moving his lips to her ear.

"It's probably for the best... My wolf wouldn't want to stop if we got into anything more. He'd want to take you, as would I, and have no interruptions... Besides, just think about it as a chance to look forward to finishing this," he murmured to her with an edge to his voice. She shivered at the thought he planted in her mind and the sound of his need lacing his tone. She honestly didn't know how she was going to get through the rest of the week.

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_Leave me some feedback if you care too! Hope you enjoyed the chapter and thanks for reading! :)_


	17. Chapter 17

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_Every time I post a new chapter I'm blown away by the response to this story. You guys are seriously amazing and I can't thank you enough for all the feedback and support you've given me so far! It's awesome! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Happy reading! :)_

Chapter Seventeen

The night ended for Bella soon after she and Jake had almost been caught by her father. She had started to feel as though she was also a high schooler, afraid that someone might come in and catch her making google eyes at a boy and she decided that it was time to go.

"We should do this every week. Make it some kind of tradition," Charlie suggested as she stood in the entryway.

"I wouldn't mind that. Next week on Tuesday?" she asked as she opened the front door and he nodded in reply.

"Have a good night," he waved to her as she started down the steps, back into the pouring rain and towards her car in the driveway. She had already said goodbye to Jake in the kitchen, leaving him only with a quick kiss. After what had happened after dinner she was cautious and tried not to work them both up again. Jake understood and he smiled at her tenderly, holding her in his arms before whispering that he'd be close by as soon as he could be tonight.

Getting into her car, she waved one last time at her father still standing in the doorway before she started the car and drove back to her apartment.

When she finally got home she wasted no time in getting to her bedroom. Getting out of her jeans and sweater she pulled on a large t-shirt and a pair of plain cotton underwear. She turned out her light and snuggled under her blankets, trying to calm her mind so that she could get some rest.

However, her mind did not seem to want to cooperate. The only thing it was capable of doing was replaying every moment she had spent earlier with Jake. Her mind seemed to love taunting her with the memories of his touch, his scent, the way his hands touched her and set her body on fire. Bella sighed angrily and opened her eyes again. There was no way she was going to get any rest.

Stealing a glance at the clock on her bedside table she read that it was only a little past nine. The rain spattered against her windows in a quick tattoo and she turned her head to look out into the darkness. The gears in her mind started to turn as she thought that certainly the baseball game wouldn't be over so soon... Therefore, Jake would definitely still be at Charlie's and not out back. She paused a moment and indeed she realized that the twinge in her chest was present meaning that her mate was not outside quite yet.

Sighing again Bella slipped her hand beneath the covers and down the front of her t-shirt and back up underneath the hem, trying not to think about what she was about to do. She had masturbated plenty of times in her life, and each time she had always been satisfied. Bella knew that if she planned to get any sleep tonight she was going to have to be satisfied, one way or another.

As her fingers began to play with her already hardened nipples she let her eyes fall closed once again as she imagined herself with Jake. Although, no longer were they in her father's kitchen, but rather her bed right there in her apartment. She remembered his onyx eyes that seemed to look directly into the most intimate corners of her soul. She could feel a rush of heat flush through her body as she recalled in almost perfect detail the way his hot hand had rubbed against her thigh.

Slowly her other hand began to move towards the top of her panties. Her breathing began to grow more ragged as she thought of his heat enveloping her body and how he played her body like he was the master of an intricate instrument. Her fingers began to dip below the top hem of her panties as her memories began to come rapidly back to her, making her body react incredibly.

Suddenly there was a crashing noise accompanied by a loud thud that came from within her room and Bella's eyes snapped open as she ripped her hands away from her body. Her mouth opened to scream in horror at whatever had made the loud noise, but she was frozen as her eyes landed on a disheveled, soaking wet Jake standing next to her bed.

"What are you doing!" Bella managed to squeak out as she quickly got out of bed to close the window that had apparently been thrown open by Jacob. He said nothing as she shut the window once again getting sprayed by the heavy rain. Turning back around she stared at the boy standing two feet away from her. His chest was heaving and his eyes flashed in the dark of the room.

"Honestly Jake, what is this about? You nearly gave me a heart attack! No one saw you, right?" Bella asked, planting her hands on her hips. To be honest she wasn't nearly as mad as she was letting on. In fact, she was thrilled that he was standing in her bedroom.

"No one saw me, Bella," he responded in a raspy voice. Bella couldn't stop the shudder that went through her body as she felt the vibrations of his tone.

"That still doesn't answer what you're doing here," she commented. His eyes flashed again as he looked at her. His body moved lithely towards her, in a way that seemed entirely predatory, but Bella could feel nothing threatening about the situation. In fact it was the complete opposite. She seemed to be rooted to the ground in anticipation for him to finally reach her. She wanted his hands on her skin again, and feel the fire that he created deep inside of her.

"Let's think carefully about that... Because I was just at home after bringing my dad back. I didn't feel anything different until I was outside in the woods. I listened in to make sure that everything was okay with you..." he trailed off in a growl as he drew up to his full height, towering over Bella's petite form. Her breathing started to come in short gasps as she stared up into his dark eyes, "You know what you did, Bella. You know what made my wolf go crazy, don't you? Or do I have to explain how I could almost smell how turned on you are Do I have to tell you how I heard the noises you were making and how your heart was pounding in your chest?"

Bella's mouth popped open as she took a small step back, her body pressing up against the window she had just closed, leaving her a sitting duck for Jacob. For the most part she was filled with embarrassment over the fact that he knew what she had been up to, and a bright red blush filled her cheeks. However there was a small part of her that practically purred with anticipation. It was the part of her that hummed at the thought of her mate touching her in the way that she wanted so badly.

"Isabella, you are not making this easy on me. I don't want to make any quick decisions, especially when it comes to claiming you for the first time," Jake ground out as his body quivered, although she knew it was from trying to restrain himself. She watched him move closer to her body and the tips of her breasts brushed against his bare, soaked chest.

"I'm sorry," Bella managed to whisper as she tilted her head back to see his face. He did not respond, but rather leaned down and brushed his burning lips against her own. Bella gasped at the sparks that flew over her skin, and in the same instant Jake crashed his lips fully onto hers.

Her mouth opened as an invitation and immediately Jacob's tongue began caressing her own, teasing it inside of her warm mouth as his lips slanted harshly over her own. His hands found purchase on her waist and he hoisted her up to his level, never breaking the passionate kiss. Instinctively Bella wrapped her legs around his waist as he pushed her against the window behind her. Their tongues twisted in an intricate dance as Bella tugged on his short, silky hair. A growl rumbled through his chest and he moved his lips from her own, allowing her to breathe.

"Jake," her voice came out in a moan and a deep growl filled the air. His lips began to attack her neck as he had done before in Bella's kitchen and Bella's lusty haze seemed to lift for a moment as she spoke, "Don't you dare give me another hickey!"

Her words seemed to strike some kind of chord within Jacob because he froze, his lips hovering over her pulse point on her neck. Letting out a sigh, a soft whining sound came from Jacob and Bella's heart clenched. It sounded pained, and almost sad. She could not bear the idea of him being upset over something.

"What's wrong, Jake? Tell me," she pleaded with him, trying to maneuver so she could see his face. Instead he buried himself deeper into the crook of her neck.

"It's difficult to control myself. I want you so badly, Bella. I'm sorry, but my wolf is going to be persistent until you are finally claimed as his. I just don't want to make you do something you aren't ready for. And I don't want it to only be about my wolf, I want to be able to make love to you for the first time, when we're both ready," he said and Bella frowned in confusion.

"Do I seem like I'm not ready now?" she asked with a huff. In her mind, she was positive that there would never be a time that she was with Jake where she wouldn't be ready. Ninety percent of the time she was ready, even if he wasn't around.

Jake drew back his face and looked her in the eyes. His eyes had lightened, though not by much and he stepped away from the wall, holding her body against his own still. Silently he walked her back over to her bed and placed her down on top of her blankets. As he let go of her she was overcome with how cold her room was. Jake took notice immediately and lifted her legs, pulling the blanket from underneath her and placing it over her body. Bella leaned up on her elbows as Jake knelt down beside her bed.

"You do seem like you're ready. _Fuck,_ Bells, I know you're ready. But I don't want it to happen until you... Until you're... _fuck,_" Jake leaned his head forward and rested it on her blanket covered stomach. Bella watched with a confused expression but was compelled to comfort her mate as he needed it despite the fact that she desperately wanted him to complete his sentence. What was it that he wanted her to do?

"It's okay, Jake. You don't have to tell me right now... We don't have to do anything right now... It's alright."

"It's frustrating," he mumbled against her and a small smile tugged at her lips.

"Let's do something else," she suggested suddenly and he looked up at her curiously.

"I have to be on patrol around midnight," he said, looking over her shoulder at the clock. She looked as well and saw that midnight was only two hours away.

"Then talk with me until I fall asleep. Considering how tired I am, it shouldn't take too long," Bella replied, and as if to back up her statement she let out a long yawn. Jake smiled at her and moved to sit on her bed while she lay back down.

"What do you want to talk about?" he asked softly, looking down at her with tender eyes. It made her heart stutter in her chest when he looked at her that way. She felt important... Like the most important thing in his world.

"Tell me a story from when you were growing up... Or what you like to do on the weekends... Tell me anything that has to do with you, I want to know every detail," she said with a nod. It was true, she honestly did want to find out everything about him. She was compelled to find out every triumph and downfall he had been through in his life. And the way that he beamed at her in response to what she had said made her believe that he knew she meant it as well.

"Well... I could tell you about the time that Embry and I almost burnt down the Elder's meeting hall..." he began, his sunny smile still in place. Bella couldn't help but smile as well as he began to tell her the tales from when he was just a boy, growing up on the reservation.

Soon enough her eyes slipped closed, although his voice did not stop speaking in hushed, soothing tones. Telling her everything that came to mind. And even though she was dreaming, completely lost in another world, Jake remained until the clock struck midnight. She dreamt of his lips brushing her cheek, whispering sweet words in her ear. And when she shivered under her blanket as the window opened wide, she dreamt of his warmth and the sunny smile that she had claim as hers.

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_Well then! Leave me your feedback if you care to! Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!_


	18. Chapter 18

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_You guys are seriously the most awesome people in the universe. I never thought I'd get this kind of reaction for this story! As for the delay, that is totally on me. I've been lazy and this chapter was sort of a bitch to write, only because it's been so hot here and all I've wanted to do is drink margaritas on the beach! So I'm terribly sorry for that! But thank you for your incredible feedback and I hope you enjoy this chapter! Happy reading!_

Chapter Eighteen

Bella woke in the morning with a smile on her face as she immediately remembered what had happened before she had gone to bed. Of course, she was still completely mortified that Jake had heard her masturbating, but now she knew to be more careful. However, that thought quickly led to others that flipped her smile completely upside down.

Why had he stopped her? Clearly she hadn't given any indication that she was not ready. She was an adult who was not sexually inexperienced all together. In fact she was highly anticipating Jake having his way with her. She knew that it would be completely unlike any of her past sexual escapades. Although those weren't anything to truly compare to. However, the more she thought about why Jake had denied her the more upset she came to be.

What exactly did he want from her before he would give in to his instincts. Did he want her to change? Surely that wasn't it considering he had imprinted on her exactly as she was. He'd told her that she was his perfect match... His soul mate. So what was there left for her to do for him?

As she showered and got ready for work her mind continued to chew on her thoughts. There seemed to be no logical answer for her questions. He was a hormonal teenage boy who was also a werewolf, and apparently he had imprinted on her. There was no other explanation for how he could show so much restraint. There was no reason why he should want to wait. She knew that she was his soulmate and she had accepted it, so what else-

Bella's mind froze completely, as did her hands while she had been buttoning her lavender colored blouse. She felt her heart rate stutter as understanding cleared her thoughts like a heavy fog lifting to reveal a brick wall directly in front of her.

He was waiting for her to fall in love with him.

Standing in her bedroom with her shirt half buttoned, Bella realized that Jacob Black was waiting to make love to her because he wanted her to love him. He didn't want it to only be about mating, or fucking, or getting off. He wanted it to be the two of them sharing their love and showing it to one another in mutual adoration. The realization left her stunned.

Her knees felt weak all of a sudden and she sat down on the edge of her freshly made bed. Did Jake already love her? The answer, she knew, was most likely a yes. She could see the complete adoration in his eyes. Bella made no mistake since she knew that the imprint also had a pull to her, but primarily, it was an instinct to protect her. That did not mean that he had fallen in love with her the second they'd met, but then again perhaps she was wrong. But that still did not answer her own question.

Was she in love with him yet? The thought made her heart twinge in her chest, but not in an uncomfortable way. He made her smile, and the way he looked at her left her feeling utterly safe, without a doubt in her mind that she was completely protected. Not to mention the way that he made her feel when he kissed her. The undeniable attraction towards one another left her breathless before he had even truly touched her. There was also no denying that she too, cared deeply for his well being. Even the very thought of him being hurt sent a shot of pain through her heart.

Bella's thoughts consumed her as she sat on the bed until her phone began to ring in the other room. Getting up, she walked in a haze towards the living room where she'd left it and answered it.

"Hello?" her voice sounded distant.

"Hello, Isabella. I didn't receive any notice that you were taking a sick day, and I wanted to make sure that everything was alright," Mr. Molina's voice came over the other end of the phone. Bella's eyes grew wide as she glanced at the clock on her cable box. It was almost eight o'clock. She had literally sat through the beginning of school.

"Oh my gosh! My alarm went off late and I totally lost track of time! I'm on my way right now!" Bella replied frantically as she began rushing around her house.

"Okay, Isabella. But please don't make this a habit," he said.

"Of course not! I'm so sorry!" she said and then hung up quickly. She threw on a pair of heels and grabbed her bag off the kitchen table, practically sprinting to her car.

She wasn't stopped by anyone on her way to the reservation although she was going well over the speed limit. The parking lot was practically full and she snagged a parking spot next to the edge of the forest. Jumping out of her car she walked as fast as she could across the parking lot, bursting into the school and walking towards her classroom.

As she entered the room everyone began to quiet down and she set down all of her things on the desk.

"I'm sorry for being late everyone," she said, totally flustered about what she was going to do. She didn't want to look up and see Jake quite yet. Not after this morning's revelation.

"Does this mean that she is going to get written up? Gonna get sent to the principal's office to be punished," a boy commented to one of his friends from his seat, but his voice was loud enough to carry through the entire room. Bella blushed crimson, completely embarrassed by what the boy had suggested and that she had broken her own rule and that one of her students was calling her out on it. Her mouth opened as she tripped helplessly over her own words. Her palms were sweating and tears of frustration stung at the corners of her eyes as she heard a couple other boys laugh along with the one who had made the comment.

"Hey, Kenmore. Why don't you shut the fuck up?" came a deep, commanding voice that silenced the entire room. Bella glanced up from the spot on the desk she had focused in on. Her eyes landed on the dark features of an angry looking Jacob. Jake was glaring over at the small group of boys that had been laughing who were now trying to slump down in their seats to avoid Jake's wrath.

As Jake turned his head back to face the front Bella's heart picked up speed in her chest when his dark brown eyes met her own. He loved her. He loved her. And she... Well she could feel warmth surrounding her heart at the thought of him. Or loving him.

As she continued to just look at the man who was destined to be with her forever she could not think of how to respond. There were so many things she wanted to say in that moment, but when she opened her mouth, only one thing came out.

"Mr. Black, if you could please restrain yourself. There's no swearing in my classroom."

-8-

The day flew by relatively fast and soon Bella found herself packing up her books to go home. As she put away the last folder into her bag she sighed. All day her thoughts of Jacob's love had plagued her. It wasn't unpleasant to think that he truly did love her, not in the slightest bit. But there was something that made her heart sputter in her chest every time she thought about him. There was something in the back of her mind bugging her, but she could not bring it forth no matter how hard she tried.

As she left the school there was no sign of Jake and in the back of her mind she assumed that he would be running a patrol for the pack until later. While driving back towards her apartment she made the decision to stop at the grocery store in order to get a few items she needed.

Pulling into a spot she glanced at the darkening sky. It looked like a large storm was gathering in the clouds and she wanted to make this quick. She grabbed a small basket once inside and started up and down the aisles trying to find the items she needed.

Turning the corner into the fourth aisle, Bella looked at the shelves to see if she needed anything. Reaching up for a jar of pesto sauce she heard two people walking past her with a large cart. She turned around to continue down the aisle a loud gasp came from in front of her.

Looking up her eyes landed on a pair of beautiful people. There was a woman, whose caramel hair was pulled into an elegant chignon off of her neck which was adorned by an expensive but delicate string of pearls. Her eyes were a strange golden color as she stared, wide eyed at her. Bella's eyebrows furrowed as her eyes slid to the boy standing next to her.

The expression on this boys face, made Isabella's heart start beating wildly in her chest with fear. It was the face of an animal that was calculating the slow and certain death of its prey. His hair was the color of a new penny, and his face, while undeniably beautiful, was hideous with the animosity that raged through him. Unlike the woman his eyes were pitch black, and flat, so very unlike the black of Jacob's eyes during an intimate moment between them.

Jacob. And just like that, the only thought in her mind was to get to Jacob. Her fear was something that only he could fix. Bella instinctually began to back away slowly from the two beautiful people, towards the entrance of the aisle and the front of the store. She kept her eyes locked on the emotionless black ones of the boy with the penny colored hair. She could see him watching her every step, waiting for a weakness so that he could strike. But she was not about to give him an opportunity.

As soon as she was outside of the aisle she dropped her shopping basket to the ground and ran for the door. Her heart was erratic in her chest like a bird attempting to escape its cage, as she sprinted out into the cold, whipping wind that signaled the rapid approach of the storm.

She wrenched her car door open and drove out of the parking lot without a backwards glance. Her tires squealed when she pulled into her driveway and rushed into her house. Dropping her back on the floor next to the door she kicked off her shoes and ran towards her room, ignoring the urge to run into the open bathroom and lock herself inside. Pausing for a moment she felt in her chest the small ache easing quickly out of her bones. He was coming to her. Jake was coming to protect her.

Opening the window that he had fallen through the night before, Bella leaned out the back, scanning the darkening forest. Her eyes settled on some movement by the tree line and her heart leapt in her throat with relief. But that relief quickly turned to dread as the pale face of the boy from the grocery store came into view. His eyes were still feral as they locked in on her face.

Gasping with fear Bella fell backwards onto her bedroom floor before scrambling to shut the window again. Her eyes glanced out towards the tree line and she saw that the boy was no longer standing there. Terror gripped her heart as she began backing up towards the opposite wall. Her eyes glanced around her entire room, scanning through the tense silence that had settled over her. Bella had never truly feared for her life before, but she did not doubt for a moment that her life hung precariously in the balance right now between life and death.

Edging herself towards the hallway she began to think that she would be able to make it to her car once again. She could drive to the reservation and seek refuge with Jacob. She needed to find Jake.

Determination suddenly flowed through her as she backed out of her room with careful, measured steps. Adrenaline from the fear flowed freely through her veins as she waited for the inevitable. That boy was in her house, she knew this, and she knew that he was watching her every move.

Once out in the hallway again she moved a bit quicker towards the kitchen and the front door. It wasn't until she reached the archway of the kitchen door that she froze. Her eyes landed on the closed door of the bathroom. Closed. Not open. As it had been when she had gotten home.

Panic rose in her throat just as bile did and turning her head to the side, she emptied the contents of her stomach onto the floor of her kitchen. She was going to die. She was absolutely sure of this fact.

And then out of nowhere, Bella's front door flew open, rain spraying everywhere into her apartment. She could not control the scream of fright at the noise of her door flying open, but she was overcome with happiness when her eyes landed on Jacob Black standing in her doorway and looking more angry than she had ever seen him before. Before she could even say anything he was beside her, his eyes glancing over her body as his nostrils flared, taking in the scent of the air around them.

"Jake, he's in here..." Bella whispered to him in a ragged voice and it seemed to snap him out of his moment of protection. Her eyes glanced back to the bathroom and a moan of horror escaped her lips. The door stood wide open now, and she could hear the wind whipping around in from her bedroom.

"Get her out of here, take her to my house. And don't let her out of your sight," Jake's voice was deep and left no room for questioning in its forcefulness. Bella did not entirely understand until she felt Jake's hands pass her gently off into another pair of large tan arms. She looked up into the face of Embry Call. He did not look like the sweet boy from her classroom in this moment. He looked ready to rip off somebody's head. Bella gripped at Jake's hands as he attempted to let her go.

"No!" she protested weakly, unable to form a real sentence, but he grasped her message well enough.

"I can handle myself Bella, and I will come back to you. But let me settle this first," his voice was gentle but held the timbre of power deep within it. Bella knew that there was no changing his mind and she finally relented, stepping close towards Embry. His body was just warm like Jake's as he pulled her rapidly out of her apartment and outside. There was a large red pick up waiting by the curb and without saying a word Embry lifted her into the cab before getting into the passenger side and pulling away from the house. Bella looked back at it and felt the ache in her chest grow exponentially larger with the worry she felt added to the mix. Silent tears streamed down her face for a reason she could not quite identify and she felt one of Embry's hands grab ahold of her own.

"Jake is a good leader, he knows what he's doing. He will be find. Back before you know it," he tried to reassure her, but his voice was tense. There was an edge to it that Bella did not like in the slightest. She did not reply to him and kept her eyes on the foliage that passed them. She flinched at the thought of that pale faced boy emerging like a ghost from the woods, coming to get her with his dull black eyes. And the idea that her mate would be hunting him down, did nothing to ease her terror.

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_Was it worth the wait? Leave some feedback if you care too! I hope you liked it, thank you for reading! :)_


	19. Chapter 19

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_Once again you guys rock! Your feedback always has me smiling and motivated to complete this story! If it was within my power I would take you all to the beach and we would all drink some very large margaritas! I'm glad you guys liked Edward's introduction... And I hope you enjoy this chapter as well! Happy reading!_

Chapter Nineteen

When Embry finally stopped the truck it was in front of a small white house in the middle of the woods. Bella stared out at the cottage with blank eyes, not truly seeing the house since her mind was miles away, back in Forks. Her arms were wrapped around her chest as she slid down from the cab of the truck and out into the icy rain. Her feet were still bare since she had run out of her house without any shoes. Embry quickly led her towards the front door, casting glances at the forest around them, as if he was listening to something only he could hear.

He opened the front door and ushered her inside, only leaving her side to switch on a lamp near the doorway. The room was flooded with light and Bella took everything in. She was standing in a small living room with a television and a chair set up across from it. A tiny kitchen was off to her right and a door that looked like it led into a bedroom was on her left.

"Jake said to make yourself at home," Embry said, his voice still edgy. Bella noticed how he kept shifting his weight from foot to foot. He was antsy, she realized, from being away from his brothers. Taking a breath to steady herself, she placed a hand on his arm. He looked at her curiously, and she attempted to look calm.

"Go and phase. I know that I'm safe here. Go find out how everyone is," she said steadily, conveying the fact that she would be alright with her eyes. He nodded sharply and then looked at her with serious eyes.

"I will be right outside. None of them would dare cross the treaty line, but we aren't taking any chances tonight. Call if you need anything, I'll be able to hear you," he told her slowly. She nodded her head in understanding, wrapping her arms back around her chest to keep herself from falling apart with worry. She watched Embry slip out of the house and back out into the pounding rain.

Bella took another deep breath, looking around at the room she was standing in. She was inside of Jake's house... Everything in this house was his. Without thinking, Bella wandered to her left and through the door that, indeed led to the bedroom. She switched on a small lamp that was stationed on top of a dresser to her right and the light revealed just how disorganized Jake actually was. The majority of the room was taken up by a large bed that touched three of the walls, but on the slim floor space that was left there was only piles of clothes strewn about. The sheets on the huge bed were rumpled and there was a smudge of dirt on the corner of them, but Bella found that she was not bothered by it.

The room smelled exactly as Jake did. It was an earthy, masculine scent that invaded her nostrils and filled the room entirely. Curiously, Bella reached and opened one of the dresser drawers, inside she found a mass of balled up fabric. Pulling one out she saw it was one of his large t shirts. Pressing it to her nose she inhaled and was filled with the comforting scent of her Jacob. In a split second decision she pulled her shirt over her head and shimmied out of her skirt. Slipping off her bra she pulled the soft material of Jake's shirt over her head and found herself enveloped with the incredibly soothing scent.

Uncharacteristically, she did not even hesitate to crawl onto the large bed and lay her head against the sheets. While she usually would be worried of the reaction of the person who owned the bed, she knew that Jake would not mind in the slightest that she had snuggled herself amongst his belongings. As she lay on the crumpled sheets, surrounded by the smell of Jake she felt tears roll down her cheeks at the feeling of utter anxiety that now mingled with the relaxation that rolled through her body. There was absolutely no denying that she was meant to be with Jake, and it pained her to think that he may be in danger at that very moment.

She was positive that the boy that had been stalking her was one of the Cullens. He had been so inhuman, his face was so dangerous looking, there was no way he was mortal. Bella felt a shiver run down her spine at the thought of a _vampire_ being so close to her. He could have grabbed her at any moment and done God knew what before Jake had even reached her. She hadn't even seen him enter her house through the window before she had managed to close it. He was unimaginably fast, and it unnerved her.

As her thoughts plagued her mind and made her restless, she still felt her eyes grow heavy from the stress of the evening. Bella fell asleep with her face buried into the soft sheets that smelled of her mate, her chest aching as she waited for the return of the man who was rapidly claiming her entire heart.

-8-

Bella stirred slightly as the mattress dipped behind her back. For a moment she was disoriented, not knowing where she was, but as soon as she took another deep breath of the scent that had been wrapped around her body she instantly remembered the trials of what had happened earlier. She felt the searing heat of a hand slide up her exposed thigh and rest possessively on her hip, pulling her body backwards into the encompassing heat that she knew exclusively belonged to her Jacob.

Rolling over onto her other side, Bella struggled to see in the dark with bleary, sleep encrusted eyes. She could just make out the planes of Jake's face in the darkness as he stared at her with dark eyes that glinted slightly. Wordlessly and without any warning one of his hands tangled into Bella's hair and he brought his lips crashing down onto her own. His heat burned through her skin and raced through her veins. Erasing any memory of the awful ache that had plagued her since she had left him in her apartment earlier. She yielded immediately to his lips as they took refuge against her own. She could feel his desperation and fear leaking out of him like a faucet, and she brought her hands up to trace the lines of his face as she kissed him back with everything she had. She could think of no better way to reassure him of her safety.

"I'm alright, Jake. It's okay now," she whispered against his lips when she had gained a moment to breath. The breathless, low whine that he emitted nearly wrenched her heart clean out of her chest. She could hear every ounce of worry and fear, and absolute love in that one sound he had made. Bella moved from her spot beside him and threw her arms around his neck, bringing her face into the crook of his neck. Tears wet her eyes as she clung to him while his own arms wrapped tightly around her. He sat up slowly, leaning his back against the wall behind him and moving her thighs on either side of him, as his hands brushed over every part of her body that he could reach. Constantly reassuring himself that she was safe, she was actually in his arms and out of harms way.

"He was so close to you, Bella. He was right there, he could have... What if he'd..." Jake's rough voice broke as he spoke to her, his hands finally stopping their exploration as he locked his arms around her petite body and pulled her impossibly closer to him.

"He didn't do anything. He just scared me, I am alright. Nothing happened, I'm okay," Bella whispered against his skin as her tears continued to leak from her eyes. The relief she felt at his presence felt as though it was crushing her. For a while they did not speak and instead they held each other close as they reminded themselves that they were together and that nothing tragic had happened. Bella did not know how long they had stayed that way. It may have been minutes, hours or days, but it was truly in that moment that Bella realized if she were to die, then most certainly Jacob would die as well. And the terrifying part was that Bella understood it would be the same outcome should the roles be reversed. There was no life she could have without Jacob by her side.

As if he could read her mind, Jake finally spoke, "I cannot lose you, Bella."

"I know," she replied simply, her voice held total understanding of what he meant. Finally she pulled back from where she had nestled herself into his skin and she looked into his face. Her eyes had adjusted somewhat and she could see the planes of his handsome face a bit better now. Her hands unwound from his neck as her fingers traced over the warm skin of his forehead, skimming down his nose and under his eyes. Over his prominent cheekbones and down his sharp jaw line. The pad of her thumb brushed over his bottom lip and his breath washed over her skin as he exhaled. Her fingers continued down his strong neck and lingered on his collar bone and paused at his shoulders. She hadn't taken into consideration yet that he was entirely shirtless with only a pair of gym shorts on.

"Don't stop," he whispered to her in a hoarse voice. Startled her eyes went back to Jake's and she saw a small glimmer in his eye. Slowly she began to move her fingers down the large muscles of his bare arms. His skin was smooth and warm, and Bella shuddered pleasantly at the thought that these arms were entirely hers to lay in. She could feel Jake's eyes watching her face, but she focused her gaze on her fingers that swirled around his wrists and then skipped to his waist. The muscles were prominent under his skin, and Bella felt every bump and ridge of his cut abdominal muscles as her fingers explored the new territory.

The heat that sparked through her body was unmatchable and she felt Jake's hands grab her hips under the fabric of his soft shirt. Bella's palms finally splayed out against his pectoral muscles and she raised her eyes to Jake's. He did not give her his sunny smile, but his eyes showed the incredible contentedness as well as the passion that flared inside of him. This man loved everything about her. Jake loved her.

The thought made a thrill of confidence run through her body and without a word she gripped the edges of his t-shirt and pulled the fabric up and off of her body. She threw it onto the floor to go with the rest of his clothes and she heard his soft groan as well as felt his chest rumbling underneath his hands in reaction to what she had done. Still her eyes remained glued to where her hands still rested. It wasn't until Jake's fingers began to move over her skin that she looked back up into his eyes.

The passion she had seen before had been ignited tenfold within him and for a moment she could see the wolf inside of him. However, this animosity did not scare her, it enticed her. It made her want him to claim her and show her who she belonged to, and have him protect her with his life. There was no explaining the feelings that look made her experience, but she could not find it possible to even explain it if she tried because of his fingers making scorching trails up her sids.

They glided up the sides of her waist, tracing her womanly curves, then skimming underneath her full breasts. He brought his fingers down her stomach, achingly slow as his gaze held hers. Finally they continued back up her body, drifting between her cleavage and avoiding touching her breasts entirely as he traced her collarbone and down her arms. As his fingers circled the skin of her wrists and back up her arms she found herself breathing harder and harder. And then, ever so slowly, his fingers brushed over the swell of her breasts.

Bella's eyes slipped closed as the sensations washed over her body. She could hear his ragged breathing and the steady growl in his chest seemed to shoot sensations straight to her center. She felt his fingertips circle her entire breast, and slowly move closer towards her nipples. Just when she felt as though he would never reach them, and as if she was going to combust right there in front of him, he brushed over her erect nipples.

The moan that left her throat was uncontrolled and her hips twitched against his waist. He did nothing to hide how hard he was growing underneath her, and Bella only grew more aroused at the thought of only having the thin layer of her panties and his shorts separating them. Jake's growl grew louder and she knew that he could smell her renewed arousal.

In the blink of an eye, Jake had grabbed her thighs and flipped them both so that she was laying on her back underneath his hulking form, her legs wrapped around his waist. He gently pried her legs from around him, and she was about to protest this when his lips fused to her own once again. The kiss was rougher than the one before, but no less passionate. Since his body covered hers, his heat surrounded her like a blanket of protection. Her fingers delved into his short silky hair as she pulled his face closer to her own. The need to have him as close as possible made her tug at him with all of her strength.

With a husky laugh Jake released her lips and led a trail of kisses down her neck, nibbling and sucking on patches of skin. As his lips moved lower down her body she found her breathing more unsteady as her legs attempted to press themselves together, seeking any kind of friction that might quell the growing ache between them. With another laugh, Jake's breath skittered across her shoulder and chest while his hands gently moved her legs apart, nestling himself between them to keep her from doing it again.

Bella's soft groan of frustration earned a growl from Jake and then she felt his lips descend on one of her nipples. The sensation was unlike anything she had felt before in a hookup. His tongue swirled, hot and rough over her flesh. Sucking her into his mouth, she was seared by his heat as his tongue continued its assault on the small bud. The soft sucking noise coming from Jake was accompanied by her breathless moans of pleasure and Bella was sure that nothing had ever sounded more beautiful.

His lips moved, never lifting from her skin, from one nipple to the other as he paid the same attention to it as he had to the first. Bella found herself to be a panting, moaning mess underneath his ministrations and while she writhed underneath him she couldn't find it in herself to be ashamed of her behavior. She had been right when she had assumed that this would be anything that she had done with anyone else. There was just no comparison.

Jake's lips finally released her with a soft pop and Bella sighed while her hips wriggled around on the bed. She needed him to touch her, she needed to feel him giving her the pleasure that she craved so desperately.

"More," she whispered into the air around them. Jake paused for a moment, whether out of surprise or anxiety, Bella didn't know but she didn't wait to find out, "Please, Jake. I want more."

She was positive that her breathless voice had made him falter, since he let out a loud growl and let his head fall back to her breasts. As he flicked his tongue over her peaked flesh, she felt his warm hand glide down to the hem of her panties. This time he did not hesitate as he gripped the side of the fabric and ripped them clean off her hip. Bella gasped in surprise and looked down at Jacob who was only smiling mischievously as she blushed at her nudity.

Wordlessly she watched as his eyes roamed from hers down to her full chest and past the curves of her waist down to the apex of her thighs. She shifted uncomfortably after a long moment of silence while he had stared at the small bit of curls at the top of her womanhood. Jake sensed her tensing up and he looked up at her with incredible emotion in his eyes. It was enough to make Bella at a loss for words, while all of the air in her lungs left in a rush.

"You are beautiful, Bells. So fucking gorgeous," he whispered to her in a tender voice edged in complete sexual tension. Bella gulped down air as she watched his eyes return to her curls above her womanhood. With his lustful gaze trained on her body she watched him as his right hand drifted up her thigh and the tip of his finger skimmed over the soft patch of hair. His finger slid agonizingly slowly down her lower lips and slipped between them, gathering the wetness that had pooled there with his finger. Bella moaned at the sensation of him finally touching her and his answering groan told her everything she needed to know about his own experience.

Probing a bit more, Jake's fingers began to explore the slick, wet flesh between Bella's legs while she squirmed uncontrollably underneath him. She could no longer think about anything coherent. Her only goal was to get closer to Jake's hand. She could hear his breathless cursing, but she felt as though she was underwater, being drowned in the feeling of Jake's fingers against her.

Bella was unprepared for when his finger finally slid inside of her, but her back bowed off of the bed in complete pleasure. Her moan of approval signaled for him to continue his ministrations and she felt his finger stretch her as he added another, slowly pumping them in and out of her wet center. Her hips could not be stilled as they jerked to get closer to the heat coming off of Jacob's hand. The fire building in the pit of her stomach was as scorching as his touch.

"You're mine, Bella. Mine," Jacob growled into the soft skin of her breast as he brought her closer to her climax.

"Yours, Jake. Every part," Bella replied automatically through her haze of lust, quivering as the knot in her stomach tightened unbearably. Jake felt her body tightening around his fingers and let the pad of his thumb start to rub tight circles over her clit. Bella's back arched off of the bed as her body tightened to the extreme, and for a moment she seemed to hover there as her eyes opened and met Jake's gaze. Those dark eyes that held so much love, protection and acceptance for everything she was. And then she fell apart.

Her mouth opened as she moaned loud and long, her body jumping like a live wire, her head thrashing side to side, all while Jake's hands brought her gently back to earth. As her orgasm finally ebbed out of her, she was left panting in a heap on Jake's sheets, unsure if she would be able to move should he need her to. Jake's fingers left her body and she sighed at the feeling of loss from inside of her. Bella sat up and watched as Jake rolled himself over to lay on his back next to her. He adjusted himself before giving her a brilliant smile. She returned it and then slowly reached her hand towards his waistband. Suddenly his large warm hand stopped her from continuing.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. His tender smile spoke volumes as he cupped her face and brought it up to his own. He placed a soft kiss on her lips. It was unrushed and told her exactly how he felt without having to use a single word.

"It's late and you need to rest. We can talk tomorrow about everything," Jake said as he pulled away from her lips, gently leading her head down to rest on his shoulder.

"Don't you want me to return the favor?" she asked curiously. At the moment she was terribly confused. Jake's soft laughter rumbled through his chest as he pulled her naked body flush against his side.

"Not tonight, Bells. I want you to get some sleep, you're going to need to be rested so we can deal with everything tomorrow," he said and she nodded, relaxing against his body. Her nudity did not bother her as his hand trailed lightly against her naked back. The familiar pleasant twinge reappeared in her heart and she was beginning to understand what it truly was, but before she could think any more about it, she began to drift into unconsciousness. She was so utterly relaxed that falling asleep took only a matter of seconds. Her light snores filled the room and she did not see the look of pure happiness that had settled over Jake's features as he too fell into a deep sleep with his mate nestled safely in his arms.

* * *

_Well, well, well! No answers in this chapter, but perhaps that was equally as satisfying? Leave me some feedback if you care to! Thank you all for reading, and I hope you liked this chapter! :)_


	20. Chapter 20

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_Hello my lovelies! Thank you for all of the feedback! Once again you've proven to be the most amazing human beings in the entire world! I love each and every one of you! I hope you all like this chapter, and happy reading!_

Chapter Twenty

In the morning Bella was woken up by a loud clap of thunder. Her entire body jumped and the large, heavy arm that belonged to Jake curled tighter around her waist, pulling her closer into his body. She could hear his deep, even breathing behind her as he slept soundly. A sleepy smile settled over her features as she nestled in close to the heat his body was exuding. Even being entirely naked as she was, she didn't feel cold at all. Without moving too much, Bella glanced around the room and saw a small alarm clock on top of the dresser near the door. It seemed to be completely black and immediately Bella's heart leapt into her throat not knowing what time it was.

"Oh shit!" Bella hissed as she attempted to untangle herself from Jake's arms. This stirred Jake from his slumber and he grabbed Bella around her waist, pulling her to the side of him while his eyes glanced around the room, looking for the possible threat that had disturbed his mate.

"Jake! Let go! We need to get to the school! What time is it? Fuck!" Bella growled impatiently as she wriggled out of his arms. She realized as she hopped off the bed that she had no clothes to change into. Jake's hand suddenly clasped around her wrist, making her still and look up at him.

"We need to talk about yesterday, Bella. You aren't safe... Or at least, not as safe as I'd like you to be. We have to meet with the pack and discuss what has happened," Jake said in a firm voice, his face serious. This was no joke to him, but then again neither was Bella's job.

"No, I need to get to school so that I don't lose my job!" Bella replied stubbornly as she attempted to remove his hand from her. Jake only took a step forward and pulled her into his arms.

"Honey, please don't make this difficult. I need to work things out with the pack, and I'd really like it if you were with me. I need to be able to see you... I need you near me so that I can protect you and make sure you're okay. Especially after last night, I don't want to let you out of my sight until we have things figured out," he said softly as he nuzzled his nose into her tangled hair. She let out a breath and leaned her head against his chest. The steady thumping of his heart underneath her ear made her calm down a bit.

There was a shrill ringing that sounded suddenly in the room, breaking the silence that had settled over them. Jake let out a frustrated breath through his nose as he let go of Bella in order to bend down. She watched him rummage around through a pair of pants before he pulled out a simple black flip phone.

"Hello?" he said in his deep voice after he had flipped it open. His face rapidly changed from annoyed to pacified. "Really? That's perfect. Bella and I will be at Emily's in two hours. Okay, see yah." Jake hung up the phone and tossed it back onto the floor, then looked at Bella with a smile. She opened her mouth to protest the plans that he had just made without consulting her, but his large hand gently settled over her mouth, silencing her completely.

"The school systems are closed for the day. Heavy damage to the power lines last night means that there's no power all over the county. It's expected to be back up sometime tomorrow... Hopefully," Jake told her with a smug tone to his voice as his hand dropped away from her face. Bella rolled her eyes at him and reached down to the ground to pick up the dark blue t-shirt she had worn to bed last night. Slipping it back over her head to conceal her nudity she looked back at Jake. He was staring at her with such powerful emotion in his eyes that she felt her legs shake slightly.

"What?" she whispered to him softly.

"Just... Everything, I guess. Come lay back down with me. It's only six A.M.," Jake replied and Bella nodded, crawling back into the sheets that still felt warm to the touch. Jake lay down on his back beside her, curling his arms around her body and hitching one of her legs over his own. His hand began drawing lazy patterns on her bare thigh and she did not bother hiding her sigh of contentment.

"Why are we going to Emily's?" she wondered aloud.

"That's where the pack traditionally meets. Emily cooks most of the meals for the pack, and we've always gravitated there... It started back before I had phased when Sam had been the pack leader," Jake replied. Bella looked up at him, confused.

"Sam? As in, _Emily's_ Sam? He was the pack leader?"

"Yeah, like I said, before I phased he was the leader... I guess he was the alpha without truly being the alpha. Then when I turned eighteen, two years after phasing I took over as the rightful alpha of the pack. Sam really helped me back then... I was an angry kid. I didn't appreciate this gift that the ancestors had given us," he supplied her with an answer, then continued, "Although, it definitely got even better after I imprinted on your fine ass."

Bella gasped of shock as Jake's hand slapped down on the skin of her ass, and then pulled back to glare at him. She found it impossible though when he beamed at her and she could see the unmistakable spark of love in his eye. Her heart jumped in her chest and fluttered like a trapped bird. She let her head back down onto his shoulder, unable to say anything due to the feelings raging inside of her.

"So we'll be going there in an hour to discuss last night's events," Jake's voice dropped lower and a growl built in his chest at the thought of what had happened last night. Even Bella couldn't control her shiver of fear at the image of the pale faced boy.

"He was a Cullen, wasn't he?" she asked quietly. Jake's hand stopped on her thigh momentarily and then continued.

"Yes... He was. One of the younger ones," he replied in the same gravelly voice.

"Why did he follow me home?" she asked.

"I'd rather talk about this with the pack present, Bella," his voice was hard and Bella's mouth immediately shut. Jake quickly rubbed her leg in reassurance.

"I'm sorry, honey. I just get tense thinking about it. That fucker was so close to you, it makes me go crazy even thinking about what could have happened," he breathed out harshly a tremor wracking his entire body. Bella nodded against his shoulder and wrapped her arm over his waist and tried to soothe him. The tremors stopped almost as quickly as they came and she spoke softly to him.

"I understand... It's okay. The important thing is that you protected me and that I'm safe now, Jake," she replied calmly. She could almost feel his wolf raging inside of his body. The wolf was going nuts trying to be free so that it could protect Bella to the fullest extent. It wanted nothing to be spared, and she knew that even in his human form, while impressively strong and dangerous, it was nothing compared to what the wolf could do.

"Can we just, lay here for a while? Just let me hold you," Jake whispered into her hair once again and Bella found herself without words. So instead she nodded and let him pull her impossibly closer to his warm body. The thunder continued to rumble loudly outside as he wrapped his arms entirely around her and she tried to convince him that as long as he was with her, nothing would ever harm her again.

-8-

"Can't we just stop at my house and get some clothes or something? I look ridiculous!" Bella protested in a huff as she pulled at the hem of the same shirt she had slept in all night. Jake had given her a pair of mesh gym shorts to wear as well, but all the same, she was swimming in the fabric. And it mortified her to think that she was going to be around Jacob's brothers looking like a child with clothes hanging off of her body.

"No there's no time... Besides, I like when you wear my clothes. Everyone can smell me on your body and they know that you're mine," he said with a wolfish wink as he continued to drink the rusted red truck through the heavy rain towards Emily's. Bella groaned in frustration and stared out at the passing trees.

"Just how good is a werewolf's smell?" she asked, still looking out the window.

"Honey, werewolves can smell everything," Jake replied. Bella looked back at him with narrowed eyes and saw his smirk cemented on his lips.

"Everything meaning...?" she trailed off, wanting more on the subject. Jake's grin widened as one of his hands left the steering wheel to trail up her thigh and under her shorts to the soft flesh between her thighs. Bella couldn't control the moan that escaped her throat at the feeling of Jake's hot hand on her most intimate part. But as quickly as he had placed his hand there, he was suddenly gone. Bella's eyes opened and glared at him, but he only laughed gently at her.

"Meaning, _everything_," he finally answered. Bella huffed angrily and turned her face back towards the window, trying to hide the fact that her cheeks had turned beet red from embarrassment. After a few more minutes Jake pulled into a dirt driveway that had been converted by the storm into a giant mud pit, and parked in front of a small two story white house.

"Ready?" Jake asked, his face had a smile on it, but his tone was tense once again. Bella nodded, in agreement and then opened her door and ran out into the rain. Jake quickly caught her around the waist before she could reach the steps leading up to the front door, and pulled her into his arms as he ran through the front door of the plain white house.

Inside, Bella was set down gently onto her bare feet, her wet hair plastered to her cheeks, but Jake still kept an arm locked around her waist, his hand glued to her hip. The air was warm inside and Bella could smell something sweet baking in the kitchen. She could also hear the voices of several males coming from the same room. Jake seemed to sense her hesitation and gave her hip a supportive squeeze before walking forwards, keeping his body slightly ahead of her own. Always making sure that he was in the prime position to defend his mate from an attack, even in a setting he was familiar with.

As soon as they entered the kitchen, the voices ceased. Bella's face was set on fire with a blush, but she found the kind eyes of Emily who rushed over to her. Jake's hand tightened on her hip as Emily drew closer

"Oh Bella! How are you doing, sweetheart! You gave us all a heart attack," she clucked like a mother hen as she pulled Bella in for a hug. Bella gave Jake a look over Emily's shoulder telling him to relax, she was fine. He was just being silly now. He knew Emily wouldn't be capable of hurting her.

"I know, I'm still a bit confused about everything myself," Bella admitted quietly, stepping out of Emily's arms and back towards Jake's looming body. Curiously she noticed how Sam had also gravitated towards Emily, his hands half outstretched towards her extremely pregnant body, as if waiting to catch her if she should fall. Did Jake look like that around her? Bella began to wonder, but she was jerked out of her thoughts as Jake pulled her further into the kitchen. He gently lifted her off of the floor and set her down atop of the granite counter tops in one fluid motion before turning back to face the other members of his pack.

Bella cautiously looked over the faces. She recognized Embry and Quil of course, and Leah who sat at the opposite end of the long wooden table, her brooding expression not out of the ordinary. Her brother Seth sat next to her with his young looking face that seemed so out of place with his body that was one that belonged to a twenty five year old. She remembered one of the boys who Kim had pointed out... His name started with a J? There was also the boy with a dark expression on his face that she could not recall being introduced to.

"You know why we are all here. The Cullen leach invaded Bella's home and almost attacked her. After meeting with them last night we learned that he had escaped from the house and fled to some kind of other coven up North. The Cullens don't know when he will come back, but from what we could get out of them, they said that he was extremely attracted to the scent of her blood. The fact remains that we need to set up precautions for Bella. She is unsafe outside of the treaty line," Jake's voice cut through the silence like a knife and Bella's eyes widened.

The vampire was attracted to her blood. Of course, weren't vampires attracted to any kind of blood? Why did it matter if it was hers or not? But if he had left, surely he wouldn't be back for a long time...

"I don't see why that's necessary if the leach left the state," Leah spoke from her seat, not even bothering to look up.

"It's necessary because my imprint is in danger. I don't expect you to understand," Jake fired back in a low, dangerous snarl. Bella saw the other boys all shrink down in their seats at the harsh edge to his voice. Instinctually Bella lifted her hand from her lap and ran it down his arm, gently brushing her fingers along his heated skin. She heard him draw in a deep breath and she knew that he had composed himself once again. Although she kept the skin contact just in case he were to lose himself again.

"Why can't she move across the treaty line? She works here anyway, wouldn't that be more convenient?" asked the boy with the dark, angry expression on his face.

"She isn't exactly... Comfortable with it," Jake replied slowly, his weight shifting from one foot to the other. Bella sighed in a frustrated voice and cleared her throat. All eyes shifted to her, and for a moment she felt embarrassed, but she quickly steeled her nerves and looked at them all levelly.

"There's no need to talk about me in the third person. I'm sitting right here, and I'm quite sure that I'm capable of making my own decisions, especially when regarding my safety," she stated in a calm voice. She was frustrated that they were about to make decisions for her, even though she was sitting right there.

"Right, sorry Bells. I just thought you weren't okay with moving out of your apartment," Jake said sheepishly, turning to meet her gaze. Bella's eyebrows furrowed.

"Why can't I stay in my house?" she asked.

"It's not within the boundaries of the treaty which is the border of the reservation. Technically speaking you aren't under our protection, as it's stated under the treaty. But that doesn't exactly mean that we'll stick to it, considering you're the alpha's mate," Sam spoke from his corner of the kitchen, Emily nestled tightly in his arms.

"What we're trying to get at, is that it would be easier if you lived on the reservation. We could more easily protect you, and it would give us the advantage if the Cullens ever tried to cross the border. The treaty would be dissolved and we'd be freed to rip their heads off," Jake said simply. Bella shuddered at the terrifying idea of Jake fighting against one of those monsters. That was the last thing she wanted him to do...

"I don't want anyone to risk their life for me..." Bella sighed.

"Bells, don't-" Jake started, but she cut him off once again.

"I'm not saying I don't appreciate the protection, but I want to keep it so that a fight is the worst case scenario. I'm willing to do anything so that the pack will not have to make any great sacrifices," she stated, looking them all over. Jake stared at her with something akin to awe in his eyes as a small smile spread over his lips.

"So you'll move to the reservation?" he asked in a soft voice.

Bella shrugged, "I don't really see how that could be considered a scandal with my job. I can always make it seem as though it was a smart choice to make... More convenient for the job, I could say."

"Well then it's settled... Bella you have made things much easier on the pack. Here I was thinking we'd have to sit outside listening to you sleep every night, waiting for that blood sucker to show up again," Quil piped up with a sarcastic smile. Bella rolled her eyes at him, but smiled all the same. The pack began to talk about different subjects, all of them returning to the easy banter that had filled the kitchen before their arrival. Jake turned to face her and gave her a sunny smile.

"What's got you smiling like that, Mr. Black?" Bella asked with slightly narrowed eyes. Jake chuckled as he pushed her damp hair off of her forehead.

"I was just thinking about how much easier it's going to be sneaking into your house at night..." he beamed at her and she smacked his shoulder lightly with her hand. His laughter rumbled through his chest as he leaned down and kissed her gently.

"Get a room you two," shouted one of the boys, and Bella pulled away from Jake with a brilliant blush.

"Shut up, asshole," Jake replied as he looked over his shoulder. There was laughter which dissolved back into conversation as he turned back to look into Bella's eyes. "You really are helping the pack a lot, you understand that right? This makes things so much simpler."

"Well it's not as if I'm going to make all of you do all the work! I'm as much a part of this pack as you are, Mr. Alpha!" Bella said in a teasing voice, but she was sure that he knew how serious she was being. As she glanced around the small kitchen at the group of young men all talking and laughing with one another she realized how true her statement was.

This was her family now. This was her pack as much as it was her mate's, and she intended to prove that she was able to be as strong as the rest of them. She would not become the damsel in distress. She would take her place beside Jacob, making him proud and showing the rest of the world how strong his mate truly was.

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_Some answers! And some realizations! I'm sure you're all looking forward to Jake being able to sneak into her house every night now... I know I am ;) I hope you enjoyed it, leave some feedback if you care too! Thank you for reading! _


	21. Chapter 21

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_HOLY MONKEYS! I can't even describe my feelings right now! I am just so happy that all of you beautiful people are so supportive of this story! Honestly you guys make this story so worth writing and I am so grateful to hear from all of you! Thank you for all of the wonderful feedback you continuously give to me for each chapter. I hope you all enjoy this one just as much! Happy reading!_

Chapter Twenty One

After another hour of bantering between the different pack members, Bella found herself sitting on Jake's lap while he joked with Embry and Quil over something she didn't really understand. She had talked a bit with Emily, though she had remained securely wrapped in Sam's arms, with one of his hands protectively placed on her enormous stomach. For a while Bella could not stop watching them. She could feel their happiness radiating off of them in waves, and she wondered for a moment if Jake would be the same way when she was pregnant with their children. In a split second she had scolded herself for thinking so far ahead into the future, but she was soothed immediately by the other voice in her head that whispered how right that future looked to her.

Her eyes suddenly drifted away from the happy looking Emily and the heart melting look that Sam was giving her, and her gaze landed on Leah Clearwater. Her face was a hard mask as she stared at the wood of the table, but Bella could feel the miserable vibe she was giving off. Bella's frown was suddenly etched into her face as she realized that no one else in the entire pack seemed to be paying any mind to how miserable Leah seemed. It was as if they were just shrugging it off entirely.

Bella didn't even realize her mouth had opened before the words slid between her lips, "Hey Leah, want to go outside with me for a second?"

The entire kitchen went silent as everyone tensed, their eyes shifting cautiously over to Leah, waiting for her imminent explosive reaction. Bella watched as Leah lifted her narrowed eyes to meet her own gaze. However instead of shrinking back from the glare that would have melted any lesser woman, she calmly gazed back at the wounded woman at the other end of the table.

The silence stretched out for another agonizing moment, and still Bella remained calm, holding her ground as she stared down Leah. Leah finally stood up without a word, her eyes still glued to Bella as she started towards the back door of the kitchen. Bella gave her a small smile as she made to stand up.

"Call me if you need me," Jake whispered to her as he gave her ass a small tap, letting her walk towards the door. Bella rolled her eyes at his display, but was pleased that he hadn't tried to stop her from doing what she thought was necessary.

Leah held the screen door slightly ajar so that Bella could step outside and onto the back porch with her. The rain was still falling in heavy sheets that made Bella shiver just looking at them. She saw that Leah had taken a seat on the small wooden bench to the right of the screen door.

"Do you want to go somewhere more private?" Bella offered quietly, looking at the beautiful woman sitting before her. She hadn't really noticed how exotic and gorgeous Leah truly looked until now. Her hair was cut harshly and hung around her jaw bone, but her wide, almond shaped eyes were the color of chocolate and her skin almost glowed a golden color.

Leah shrugged, her hard mask still in place, "They'd all find out eventually anyway."

"Right... Pack mind," Bella reminded herself and then sat down next to Leah, looking out across the rain drenched yard and into the dark tree line. For a long time it was quiet between the two of them. Bella didn't want to push anything, and she certainly didn't want to make this seem like an interrogation. However she knew that Leah needed someone to talk to, even if she didn't realize it herself.

"So you asked me out here, what do you want? Or are you just looking to make me say something that will have Jake pissed off at me again?" she asked with a sharp tone. Bella controlled the wince that almost surfaced at the razor sharp voice Leah held. She steeled her nerves and let herself look at Leah with a level expression.

"I think we both know that my reaction was not out of the ordinary, given the circumstances that I was, and still am, very nervous of anyone finding out about the relationship that I have with Jacob. I also didn't tattle on you, as you said, they find out everything eventually," she fired back at Leah calmly. Leah looked up at her in surprise, almost not expecting Bella to call her out on her comment that had happened back at Charlie's barbeque.

"Alright, well that still doesn't tell me why you brought me out here," Leah sniffed, but Bella could see that she was losing some of her composure. It was just as she had suspected. Leah wasn't as tough as she appeared to be... In fact she was crumbling before everyone's eyes, but no one had taken the time to tell her that they were there for her.

"I just thought that you'd like some time away from all of that... I never had any brothers growing up, but after seeing how they act, I'm considering myself very lucky... Also I can see that it kills you to see him with her," Bella commented. She didn't make her voice sympathetic in anyway, because she knew that would only make Leah mad. Leah didn't need sympathy. She needed someone to stand beside her and get her back onto her feet.

"I don't care about him half as much as you think I do," Leah tried to protest. However Bella saw the slight shimmer in her wide chocolate eyes.

"You don't have to lie, at least not to me, and especially not to yourself. That's only going to hurt more, and you definitely won't heal if you continue to torture yourself," Bella stated, staring intently at Leah. Her face stared out across the lawn, but Bella watched, as if in slow motion as her face shed it's hardened mask and the expression of a completely broken woman was laid before her. A tear had barely dripped down Leah's cheek before it was violently wiped away.

"I don't think you understand," she said to Bella in a quiet tone. Bella nodded in understanding.

"I didn't claim to. But I know what I saw back inside. And I do understand that no one has done anything to show you that they are standing beside you one hundred percent. I understand perfectly that there is no one you feel like you can turn to," she replied and Leah turned to look at her. Bella didn't smile at her, but instead tried to convey her sincerity through her gaze. And just like that, the last bit of Leah's defense was entirely knocked down and the tears began to slide down her tanned cheeks.

There were no more words exchanged as Bella slid closer to Leah and gently brought her arm around her shoulders. Leah was much larger than her own petite frame, but she could tell that it was entirely made out of lean muscle. Leah's head bent down and rested in her hands as she began to cry more heavily. The storm continued to rage around them, rain spraying up onto the deck and wind whipped at Bella's loose hair, but she tried not to flinch from the cold and gently soothed Leah as she rubbed her shoulder. She did not want to say anything because she understood that words were not entirely necessary. At least Leah knew that Bella stood by her, even though the rest of the pack did not understand.

"It's so difficult to see him with her. I know it sounds stupid, but I truly wanted him to break the imprint. It feels like there's a knife in my stomach and every time I watch him look at her the way he used to look at me, it gets twisted further and further inside of me," she murmured brokenly. Bella hugged Leah's shoulders closer into her body.

"And that's alright for you to think of that. But I've come to learn that this whole tribe is entirely bent on believing that fate has a hand in everything we do... I'm not saying that I understand the work of your ancestors, but if they brought Emily into Sam's life for a reason, then there is doubly good reason for taking you out of it," Bella said quietly as she listened to Leah's breathing even back out. She did not release her arm from around Leah's shoulders and she began to wipe away her tears and watched as she looked back into her face.

"I've constantly thought that, but I still don't understand any of it... It hurts too much. I have to listen to his thoughts every day since becoming this monster, there's no escaping this as long as I am in the pack," she replied softly. Bella finally saw Leah's face without the mask, and she was even more beautiful than she had suspected.

"And what rule is there that you are forced to stay in the pack? Especially if you are so miserable? I understand that there is a duty to protect your tribe, but with so many boys that have phased, don't you believe that you would be allowed to do whatever you wanted with your life?" she asked. Bella was not pretending to know what the elders would say to such a suggestion, but in the moment she could not understand what was keeping Leah bound to this reservation, when she so clearly needed to leave and find herself again.

Leah did not reply, and instead seemed to be deep in thought over the words Bella had spoken. Bella pulled her arm from Leah's shoulder and looked her square in the face.

"Go phase, and go for a run. I'll make sure that none of the boys phase for at least an hour. Take that time to think things over. And I'll be here if you need anyone to talk to... Hell, maybe we can go out for drinks sometime!" Bella said with a smirk. Leah's lips twitched and Bella assumed that was the closest thing to a smile she was going to get today, but she was content with that. Leah nodded and stood up with Bella.

"You're a good person, Bella Swan... You're going to be good for Jake," she said quietly as she stood with Bella on the porch. Bella smiled genuinely back at the tall woman in front of her.

"Thank you," she replied softly. Leah gave her one more nod and then jogged off the back porch into the rain, disappearing into the trees. Bella stood there for another moment before she realized that without Leah's heat she was absolutely freezing in her extra large t-shirt and shorts. Turning around she pushed open the door once again and found herself in the warmth of Emily's kitchen again. Glancing around the kitchen she knew that all of the boys had heard their conversation judging by the sheepish looks they were sporting. She cast a look over at Sam who was still standing with Emily wrapped in his arms.

Emily seemed entirely out of loop, at least for the time being, but Sam's eyes held something akin to gratitude in them. She understood that he knew how badly he had hurt Leah, though she wasn't entirely sure he would take it all back now that he knew what kind of relationship he'd miss out on with Emily. At least it was a start.

Without warning Bella felt Jake's arms wrap around her waist and pull her body down onto his lap. She shivered violently in the sudden change of temperature against her icy skin and he wrapped her up tighter fusing more heat into her skin to make her more comfortable. His lips nestled in against the shell of her ear and his hot breath washed over her.

"You're an incredible person, Bells," he murmured to her softly. She didn't reply but she knew that he could see the smile on her face and feel the blush on her cheeks.

"Can you back me up on them not phasing for at least an hour?" she asked him instead. She felt his nose skim down her neck as he nodded his assent, "Good, because I want to go back home, and snuggle."

She couldn't help but laugh at her own statement. It sounded so uncharacteristic of herself to suggest snuggling. It was entirely too high schoolerish for her to handle, and laughing seemed like the only way to justify it. Although she couldn't deny her body's need to just lay close to Jake and surround herself in his warmth.

"I can drive you back to Forks, but you're sure you want me to come inside with you?" Jake asked quietly. the slight dejection in his voice made Bella confused. She hadn't said she'd wanted to go back to Forks, had she? And then it dawned on her that she had said the word _home_. She hadn't even thought twice about calling Jacob's house home. It seemed natural to call it that.

"I meant going back to your place, Jake," she said with a small reassuring smile. His returning smile was brilliant and he laid short and sweet kisses on her lips.

"No offence Jake, I get that she's your imprint. But can the PDA be on the down low until we graduate? I don't want those mental images while we're studying for our _Scarlet Letter_ test," Quil shot from down the table. Bella broke away from Jake with another bright blush and the table erupted in soft laughter at the joke.

"Shut up, Quil, before I make you run double shifts!" Jake snapped, but there was a smirk on his face. Bella saw Quil's face drop at the what his alpha had suggested. And just like that the mood was broken once again. Bella knew that it would take time, but she knew that she was helping to make the pack come together and be stronger. It was just going to take some time and patience before they reached that level, but she knew that she would be around to see it happen.

* * *

_Bella's stepping it up a bit and helping to sort out the mess that Leah Clearwater is, because everyone knows that all the other boys are too afraid of her to say anything! I hope you liked this chapter and thank you for reading! :)  
_


	22. Chapter 22

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_Hello everyone! I'm sorry for the delay, but my grand father passed away a few weeks ago and so I flew home for the funeral and to be with my family. He lived a good, long life and I know that he is happy now, but it wasn't exactly easy for me to motivate myself to write after flying back home. I'm terribly sorry for that, but now I am here and I will be be back on a schedule of posting either everyday, or every other day! I've missed all of you and I hope you like this chapter, even though it's a few weeks late! ~W.M. Hunt_

Chapter Twenty Two

By the time Jake had driven Bella back to his small cottage she was beginning to wonder if this storm was ever going to end. The way the thunder continued to rumble dangerously overhead and how the rain only seemed to pelt down harder on the top of the truck made her think that she would be stuck in the purgatory of never seeing the sun again.

"What are you thinking about, Bells?" Jake asked as he put the truck into park and cut the engine. Bella stared out at the torrential downpour outside of her window and sighed.

"I sort of was missing the sun... Arizona was actually the complete opposite of this place... I guess I just miss it a little more than I thought I would..." she replied still looking out into the rain. Jake was quiet in the seat beside her, his large hand that had encased hers throughout the entire ride, squeezed gently. Her eyes flickered back to his handsome russet face and she frowned slightly at the look on it. He looked almost ashamed of something.

"Why are you upset now?" Bella asked.

"I'm just sorry that you miss your home. Maybe you should go and visit sometime, your mom still lives out there right?" he asked her in a calm, determined voice. Bella's mind kicked into gear as she suddenly seemed to recall that her mother did actually live there still.

"Oh Jake! We should go and visit her sometime! That would be wonderful! I could show you around, and it would be some alone time for us! Maybe over Christmas break, so it wouldn't be suspicious," Bella smiled at him, trying to put some positive energy back into the air. However he only looked at her with a serious expression.

"I can't exactly leave the reservation, Bells. The tribe, and the pack need me. I can't leave, even for a short amount of time. Especially not now, after what happened with the Cullens," he said in a soft voice.

"Speaking of that, we have to discuss where I'll be living," Bella said. Jake's eyes watched her carefully. She realized he was waiting for her to get upset over how he could not leave the reservation. Sighing, Bella unbuckled her seatbelt and scooted across the seat, nestling herself into his lap. Jake's arms instinctively wrapped around her small frame as she looked into his face.

"It's not a big deal that you can't leave the reservation, Jacob. I understand your responsibilities. How can I get mad at you for being reliable to the people that depend on you? That's silly. But that doesn't mean that I won't go and see her at some point. Maybe it's for the best that we don't travel together... I was getting a little ahead of myself,"

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to go by yourself... Without me around you there's no telling what could happen," Jake stated quickly and Bella froze on his lap.

"I'm sorry, what?" Bella asked, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"Bella, what if that leach came back and followed you to Arizona? I wouldn't be around to help and you definitely wouldn't be able to handle yourself. It just isn't safe," he said to her, his face entirely serious.

"You're telling me that I can't take care of myself... When clearly for twenty three years I've been doing just fine? Not to mention I can't go and see my mother in Arizona, because there's a vampire after me, even though said vampire can't go in the sunlight?" she asked.

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

Her eyes stayed locked on his own. Neither of them were going to back down off of this topic. Tension rippled in the air between them as the aggravation became more and more palpable.

"Take me home," she said finally as she removed herself from his lap and out of his arms, placing herself back against the window on the other side of the cab.

"What?" he said.

"You heard me, take me back to Forks. I don't want to be here right now."

"I'm not taking you back to your apartment. You agreed to staying on the reservation," Jake said in a stern voice. Without missing a beat Bella opened the door and jumped down from the cab. Ignoring the fact that she was being entirely soaked by the downpour she looked back at Jake.

"Fine, but don't bother coming back tonight. I need some time alone," she said to him in a level voice before shutting the truck's door and walking towards the small shack. As she opened the door she heard the roar of the engine start up again, but she did not turn around to watch him leave. She had been serious in saying she had needed time alone.

The intense aching sensation that appeared in her chest both from her anger at Jake and having to listen to the truck's sound grow further away from the cottage made furious tears appear in Bella's eyes. She stood in the small entryway inside of the shack and tried not to recall the intimate moments she had shared with Jake only hours ago. It was interesting how quickly such a wonderful day had gone completely into a downward spiral.

However, while she admired the fact that Jake was clearly only looking out for her well being, he was too stuck in the alpha state of mind to see how absurd he was being. If she was going to be shrouded in complete sunshine for most of the time she would be visiting her mother, there was no reason to worry. A vampire would not be able to reach her without drawing the attention of others. She would be completely safe, and aside from that, she was capable of taking care of herself, even if she was a weak, normal human being.

Bella realized that she was shivering while standing in her soaking clothes, which it dawned on her were actually Jake's. Teeth chattering, Bella walked back into the small bedroom and stripped off the soaking wet clothes, tossing them unceremoniously onto the ground before she climbed into the rumpled sheets of the bed. They still smelled of Jake, and despite the fact she was upset with him for being so silly over something so simple, she could not resist the pleasurable shiver that shook her spine as his scent invaded her nose once again. She could not help the thrill of desire that washed over her as she imagined Jake's body covering her own.

For a while Bella lay wrapped in the scent-soaked sheets trying to come up with a plan of how to convince Jake that she was capable of taking care of herself. After all, how long did he suspect she would be in danger from this Cullen boy? It couldn't be more than a month, which would mean that she would be perfectly safe if she went to visit Renee for Christmas, or maybe even Thanksgiving.

He couldn't expect her, an example of a responsible twenty three year old to take orders from a nineteen year old boy. Even if he was the alpha of a pack of werewolves and could easily pass as a twenty five year old man. Not to mention his knowledge of the supernatural world was much deeper than her own... But still, Bella could not imagine that she would truly be in any real danger after a month or so. The threat would pass and everything would return to normal... Or as normal as she imagined it could get as long as she was secretly having a relationship with one of her students behind closed-doors.

-8-

With a violent jerk Bella's entire body was slammed into consciousness. She had slipped into sleep in the afternoon without her even realizing while she had been so deep in thought. However now she was completely aware of her surroundings.

The world outside of the small window in the bedroom was slightly darker than it had been when she had fallen asleep, but the constant sound of battering rain was still present. There was no explanation for why Bella had been woken up so quickly and violently, but she could feel the hair on the back of her neck stand up as she realized that she was entirely alone in the small cottage.

A large crack of thunder made her body jerk again and she slipped from the bed, reaching for a large shirt on the floor of the bedroom and pulling it over her head to conceal her nakedness. Her heart began to beat wildly in her chest as she walked out into the small living room. The sound of two boulders smashing overhead sounded and Bella wondered if the storm had grown more violent as she had been sleeping.

Turning on the two lights in the living room Bella went to sit on the worn in chair across from the television set. And then, out of nowhere there was a knock on the front door. Bella growled in the back of her throat.

"Jacob Black, I told you I needed to be alone!" she whispered angrily as she stalked towards the front door, opening it without a second thought. Immediately, though she regretted this decision. In front of her stood a small, spritely looking girl with jet black hair, golden eyes and paper white skin. A vampire.

Bella's mouth opened to scream, but her shock seemed to freeze her vocal chords as she stumbled backwards into the shack, trying to find a safe place.

"Bella? You're Bella, right?" the vampire girl asked in a soft, wind chime like voice. The words were rushed. Bella still did not answer as she kept her eyes locked on the girl who had not taken a step into the cottage. The rain was spattering the floor as it blew into the house, but all Bella could focus on was how she knew that her death was iminent. If only Jake had stayed with her... Surely he knew that she was in distress at this point.

"I don't have much time, Bella. My siblings are leading the pack towards the Southern border, but they'll catch on quickly. You need to listen to me carefully, alright?" she said urgently, pleading with her golden eyes, "My name is Alice Cullen. I'm Edward's sister. I don't know how much your mate has told you, but I thought I should tell you myself. You must understand that Edward is your singer. He is attracted to your blood more than any other human's. He will stop at nothing to kill you. He's fast, and he's smart, Bella. You must stay close to your mate. The dogs will keep you as safe as they can, but you can't take any chances, do you understand me?"

Bella had heard every word that the vampire had said, but with her heart racing in her ear and her mind fizzling out, when she had opened her mouth again, the only thing to come out was a blood curdling scream.

"No! Bella calm down, I'm trying to help!" Alice put her hands up to try and look peaceful, and she took a small step into the cabin. This only made Bella scream once more.

"Jacob!" her scream was deafening, and over the rain, far in the distance a returning howl met her ears. He had heard her. He was coming. The relief she felt was quickly covered in heart stopping fear as the vampire girl suddenly appeared directly in front of her and grabbed Bella's shoulders in her ice-cold grip. Her golden eyes bore into Bella's as she spoke in a barely audible buzz.

"Oh, now you've done it. I told you, I'm trying to help. I have to go now, but if you have questions, come to my family."

"Bella won't be going anywhere near your fucking family," another female voice growled from behind the female vampire. The cold hands that had tightly gripped Bella's shoulders were gone in a flash and the vampire girl now stood calmly near the small kitchen. Bella's wide, frightened eyes landed on the rain soaked form of Leah Clearwater, standing in her doorway in what looked like a ratty sports bra and a pair of jean shorts. She looked like some kind of goddess of war come to save Bella from the demon that had infiltrated her hiding place.

"Leah Clearwater, isn't it? I'm Alice Cullen," the vampire said politely, as if they were being introduced on friendly terms.

"I don't give a fuck what your name is, leach. Back away from Bella and come outside so I can tear your fucking head off for crossing the line," Leah snarled again, slowly walking towards Bella while keeping her body facing the vampire.

"I was only warning Bella of the threat that my brother poses. She needs to know how much danger she is truly in. My family can help," Alice tried to plead with Leah now.

"We do not need any help that you want to give. Get out of this house, now, and hope that my brothers don't intercept you before you get to the border," Leah threatened in a menacing voice, that even Bella flinched at, although the vampire girl looked unphased. She looked at Bella one last time with her golden eyes, a silent plea in them, before Leah let out another terrifying roar and then the girl had disappeared entirely with the front door closed behind her.

Before Bella could even register that the vampire was gone she heard the loud howling of wolves extremely close by. She wondered if the Cullen girl would make it to the border before them or not. Some small part of her hoped that she would not, but at the same time with her heart pounding so loudly and her blood racing beneath her skin, she couldn't quite think straight at the moment.

"She didn't hurt you, right? I don't smell any blood," Leah said, turning to look at the crumpled mess on the floor that Bella had become.

"I-I'm okay... Just st-startled. She c-came out of n-nowhere. Like a ghost or s-something," Bella managed to stutter as she wrapped her arms around her knees, holding back the terrified tears in her eyes.

"Well you scared the shit out of all of us. Thank God I was still coming back from that run from Canada, I would have been with the rest of them if I hadn't... You sure you're okay, you don't look so well," Leah said carefully, laying a warm hand on Bella's shoulder.

Bella tried to nod, but her mind could only recall the cold and spindly hands of the vampire that had grabbed her shoulders. The freezing temperature and iron grip made bile rise in her throat and she leaned forward and started to wretch onto the ground. Her mind would not stop replaying the images and she found herself dry heaving while Leah tried to be useful around her.

"I need Jake," Bella managed to choke out in a sobbing voice as her stomach heaved again. Two vampires coming after her in twenty four hours. Her brain felt like it was in overload and her body would not stop its trembling. And then, she felt the warm, thickly muscled arms of her mate surround her, pulling her body close against his own. Incredibly, her wretching calmed as the heat of his body made the memory of the disgusting hands ebb away from the front of her memory. She could hear him murmuring to her, speaking in low tones, and by the slight quivering of his body she knew he was slightly out of control with worry and anger. However she was in such a state that she felt useless in helping to calm him down.

She did not know where Leah had went, or if any of the other pack had come inside of the cottage with Jake, but she clung to him and pressed as much of her skin into his own, needing to feel the comfort of his body. She needed him to protect her, even if the threat was physically gone. She needed him entirely. He was everything to her. He would always be everything to her. And in that moment, along with every other insane thought that buzzed around inside of her mind, Bella Swan realized that she had fallen in love with Jacob Black.

* * *

_I hope that this chapter was okay for everyone after such a long time. I'm trying to get back into the groove after being in such a bad mood for the past couple of weeks. Feel free to leave some feedback if you want to, thanks for reading and I'll post again MUCH sooner this time!_


	23. Chapter 23

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_Thank you everyone for your kind words, they meant a lot to me! I'm glad you all liked the last chapter... Wonder what you're gonna think about this one! Happy reading, my lovelies!_

_***Warning:** If anyone is uncomfortable with sexual content, please read at your own discretion. The rating of this story is M for a reason! Thank you!*_

Chapter Twenty Three

"Jake," Bella whispered against the hot skin of her mate's neck. She could not be sure of how much time had passed while she had curled against his large, warm body and reveled in the comfortable feeling of being under his protection. While her mind had been an utter disaster with every thought running through it, he had murmured and whispered to her, at some points she hadn't even been able to truly make out what he was saying. Perhaps he'd been praying his thankfulness that nothing tragic had happened, but she was content in not having to speak quite yet, so she hadn't said anything about it.

"Bells, sweetheart, I'm here. I've got you, everything will be alright. I'm so sorry I left you alone," Jake's voice was soft and broken and Bella shook her head, wiggling her body against his to try and get closer, if that was even possible at this point. But still, his large arms wrapped her more tightly in their embrace and she sighed quietly.

"I made you leave. I was upset with you, and I asked you not to stay. That wasn't your fault, and you couldn't have known... she would show up," Bella gulped and shivered at the thought.

"Don't think about it now, baby. We'll figure things out later, just be with me right now. Focus on us," Jake whispered to her, his voice slightly frantic as he tried to chase away the terrible thoughts in her head. Bella nodded again and closed her eyes, focusing on the steady whoosh of air that went in and out of his lungs. The strong beating of his heart under her ear made her body tingle with awareness that her mate was with her, and she was completely and perfectly safe with him.

And she loved him.

It was a realization that she had known she would make eventually. There's only so long that someone can go after realizing that they have found the entire other half of their soul and not fall in love with them. But when she began to think about it more and more, she realized that she had loved him for longer than she would admit to herself. Perhaps even that first day that she'd learned that he was her imprint, although she'd never claim to be the "love at first sight" kind of girl. And she'd keep telling herself that until the day she'd die, but for now she had to find a way to tell him.

Perhaps it should be done, in a romantic way. She could suggest going to the beach where he had first taken her? Tell him while they sat on that piece on bleached driftwood and watched the sunset? Or maybe she would tell him while trying to seduce him. He was so ready to give her everything she wanted, but she knew he wouldn't unless he knew that she loved him in the same way that he loved her. Which... She did, at least, she knew now that she did. There were so many ways to go about this, and she did not want to mess anything up, or come off as being sappy.

But this was Jake. Her Jake. And he wouldn't care how she did it. She knew that he would be ecstatic just to hear her say it. And so that's what she did.

"Jake, I love you," her lips moved slowly as she whispered into his blazing skin. For a long time there was absolute silence. Jake's breathing had stopped entirely for a moment and his heart picked up speed underneath her ear.

"Tell me again," were the simple words that he replied with. A small smile curved Bella's lips as she drew her head back slightly and looked up into his face. His eyes were trained on hers and in them, the dark abyss of emotion threatened to suck her inside of his very soul.

"I love you, Jacob Black," she said again. And this time, he did not freeze, instead he had stood up from the floor of the living room that they had stayed on since his arrival, and Bella found her back pressed against the wall next to the door leading into the bedroom.

"Do you have any idea how incredible it is to hear you say those words?" Jake asked in a gravelly voice as one of his arms supported her body while his other hand cupped her cheek. Their eyes remained locked, and Bella felt tears prick the corners of her eyes from the intensity of the moment. She nodded slowly and his fingertips brushed down her face and neck, tracing the outer curve of her bare breast through the material of the t-shirt she'd worn, then wrapping his arm around her waist.

"Bella, I cannot begin to explain how much I love you, will love you. You are the other half of my soul, and I will spend every moment for the rest of my life protecting, caring and loving you. Do you understand?" Jake said to her. His voice was so sincere and so completely cemented in what he was telling her that she could not control the tears that slipped down her cheeks.

"Yes," she whimpered, completely crumpled by the incredible force of the emotions they were exchanging in that moment.

"You are mine, Isabella Swan. Every part of you, for the rest of eternity, just as I am yours," he whispered in a trembling voice as his forehead pressed against hers.

"Show me, Jacob," Bella managed to say as she reached her hands up to trace both of his cheekbones, "Please show me."

There was no more need to beg on her part as his searing lips met her own in a fierce and dominating kiss. The entire essence of his masculinity and the fact that he was truly an alpha resonated throughout every part of their embrace. Bella whimpered as the feeling of being entirely feminine and submissive raced through her. It was not demeaning as she had always associated the term submissive with. There was absolutely nothing degrading in the way Jake's powerful arms held her body against hers making her feel so small and delicate, or the way his velvety tongue slid inside of her mouth and took the initiative to explore.

One of his hands trailed up the skin of her bare thigh and held onto her equally bare backside. The growl of approval that rumbled in her chest produced a responding moan from Bella. His hand squeezed her flesh and she wrapped her legs tighter around his waist, squirming to get as close to him as she possibly could.

"Bella, I have to tell you before we get too far," Jake suddenly broke away and opened his eyes. Bella opened her own eyes, completely dazed by the cloud of lust that surrounded her. Her expression made it clear that he should proceed.

"I've... I mean, I imprinted on you a while ago... And usually, the wolf claims his mate as soon as it happens, and it isn't really... Slow, by any stretch. I've been going crazy by putting it off for so long, but Bella, my wolf has been literally going insane with the thought of claiming you. What I'm trying to tell you, Bells, is that this isn't exactly going to be gentle. That doesn't mean I'm trying to hurt you, it's just, fuck!" Jake growled out as his head nestled into Bella's shoulder. Bella's hand quickly reached up and stroked his soft hair.

"I understand completely, Jake. I want you and your wolf to take me. We have the rest of eternity, didn't you say that? There will be plenty of time for you to be gentle," Bella murmured to him with a soft smile. For a minute Jake did not move and she wondered with disappointment if he was going to put a stop to this time as well. Her mouth opened once again, but before she could speak his mouth was glued to hers once again. She moaned into his mouth as his lips slanted over hers and his hand tangled into her long hair.

Her back left the wall and Jake brought them into the cramped bedroom. He set her down on the sheets, his fingers grabbing the hem of her shirt and pulled it off of her body in one smooth movement. She fell backwards onto the bed, entirely exposed to her mate, whose gaze raked over every part of her.

The scorching heat from his eyes made her skin tingle as she wiggled underneath him, squirming for him to start touching her. She needed his hands on her body before she spontaneously combusted.

"Please, Jake," her voice was more sultry sounding than she had ever heard it before. She watched Jake's eyes darken further as a primal growl vibrated through her entire body from his own. Reaching her hands up she grasped at the button on his jean cutoffs, thankful that was the only article of clothing in between her and her mate from finally being together. Her hands trembled slightly at the thought of finally seeing him in his entirety. His glorious body was already incredible to look at, but she wanted to see every part of him and judging by the enormous bulge that was already visible against his thigh she could imagine that he was going to be quite a sight.

Moving her trembling hands to the side, Jake ripped his cutoffs away from his body, completely disregarding the button fly on them. Bella could not stop the small intake of breath as her eyes finally landed on his manhood. It stood at attention, long and thick, and pulsing. To be honest it almost looked painful. The clear fluid that leaked from the tip made her want to push him down and lick it, just to see if he tasted as good as she imagined it to be.

"Bells, I need you," Jake brought her out of her thoughts with his gruff voice. She could see the war that raged inside of him. He was holding the human side of himself together, but only by a thread. The wolf was rattling the bars of his cage, and he was so dangerously close to breaking free.

"Take me, Jacob. I'm yours," Bella replied as she cupped his cheek gently, looking into his conflicted eyes. She watched as they softened for a moment, before the animosity inside of him took over entirely. His eyes slipped closed as he breathed in deeply, looking as if he was scenting the air. When his eyes opened again she stared back into the endless ink pool eyes of her Jake, except this time, it was the wolf's side of him.

Bella was almost unprepared for how fast Jake had grabbed her rounded hips in his hands and flipped her body so that she was now on her stomach. Still grabbing her hips, Jake pulled her bottom half up into the air so that her knees propped her up, spread open and entirely his for the taking. Bella blushed at the idea of being so vulnerable and bared for Jake to see, yet at the same time the rush of desire that flooded through her was unlike anything else.

"Mine," Jake's voice was so deep that Bella felt it vibrate directly through her bones, and she knew without a doubt that she was unquestionably his. She always would be his.

Without warning, Jacob slammed into Bella, producing a short yelp from her. The pause was almost infintesimal, but she could feel Jake still for a fraction of a second, if only to make sure that she was not truly hurt in anyway.

"Fuck. Mine. All mine. Bella." Jake's grunts were barely audible through the loud growls he was emitting as he began to pound deeply into Bella's warmth. Bella's mouth opened uncontrollably out of pleasure as she was consumed by the feelings of being so filled, both physically and emotionally. The connection she now felt to Jacob was unlike anything she could have imagined. She swore that she could actually feel the attachment of his soul to her own as he filled her in the most intimate of ways. She could feel it wrap around her own, encasing it in his protection. There was no comparison to make to the scorching heat that both surrounded and filled her as he fucked her mercilessly.

His hands gripped her hips and palmed at the curve of her ass as he pumped in and out of her. The searing heat that began to coil inside of Bella was unbearable in the most delicious way.

"Jacob, oh God, Jake," Bella managed to whimper into the sheets pressed against her face. She was entirely surrounded by him. By his heat, but his masculinity, by his soul, everything.

"Fuck, Bells, you're mine. Say it," he growled in return.

"Yours, Jake. All yours," she whimpered.

"No one else gets to fuck you like this, ever. No one else, Bella. No one but me. Do you understand? MINE," he nearly snarled and Bella became confused for a moment. Then she realized that he now knew for sure that she was not a virgin. Had he been a virgin? The thought of him being with another girl made her blood boil under her skin.

Using her hands she pushed up her torso so that her body was now on all fours. Without breaking his pace, Jake pulled one of his hands from her hip and twisted it into her long hair, drawing her body up vertically. Her back pressed tight up against his chest as his hand left her hair and tightly grabbed her breast, pinching the erect nipple and breathing hotly into the skin of her neck. Her body trembled as his cock hit the perfect spot within her warmth. Once again, Jake seemed to be tuned to how her body had reacted and he continued to move at that angle.

Every thrust made the coil inside of her abdomen tighten more than she had thought was possible. She felt his hand snake down from her breast and settle on the bundle of nerves at the top of her womanhood. The sensation was overwhelming as his blazing hot finger made tight circles around the swelling, pulsing flesh of her clit. She could not hold herself together any longer as she felt her body finally ascend the peak of her desire.

Her body tensed and her mouth opened as Jake delivered another hard thrust inside of her, and she exploded around him, pulsing wildly around him and screaming Jacob's name as pure ecstasy washed over her. Her eyes clenched shut as her entire body shuddered through her orgasm for what felt like hours. It was as if she was caught in a tide of pleasure, being dragged in and out in an under-toe. She was drowning in the sensations he had given her, and it was unlike anything she had ever felt before. She was sure that if Jake had not been holding her, she would have fallen into a crumpled mess on the bed.

"Mine, mine, MINE," Jake's growl was growing deeper and louder as he continued to push inside of Bella while she rode out the incredible high of her orgasm. And then as his hands tightened on her hip and breast, she felt his hips jerk out of their normal rhythm slightly. She could feel his body shaking behind her and she spoke softly.

"Yours, Jake" she said to him, and then he lost control. The roar he emitted was near deafening, but she could barely hear it as she felt the sharp sting of Jake's teeth sink into the flesh of her neck near her shoulder. She cried out from the sharpness of the sting, but she did not struggle against it. It was not entirely unpleasant as she could feel Jake's heat soothing her, almost as if it was pouring into her through her wound.

And then it was over. Jake's body shuddered gently a few times as he managed to lean forward and lay Bella's quivering body down on the sheets. His lips barely brushed over the stinging bite mark on the back of her neck with a completely human tenderness, but when his tongue slowly licked along the length of the mark she knew that the wolf was still scratching at the surface. However there was no denying that the wolf had been sated, at least for the time being, and her Jacob would come back to her.

Bella and Jake simultaneously let out a moan as he pulled out of her and left the room. For a moment she panicked, but then heard him walk into the small bathroom off the bedroom. She was too tired to move in any direction, even to turn and see what he was doing.

She felt the mattress dip behind her as Jacob returned.

"Turn over for me, Bells," his voice was heart wrenchingly tender as his warm hands moved her pliable body. Even if she hadn't wanted to move, Bella's body felt equivalent to a pile of Jell-O. A warm, wet cloth was dragged between her legs softly, and if she hadn't been so tired she would have thanked Jake for his kindness. Her eyes dropped closed as she nestled herself against the pillows, completely satisfied.

"I love you, Bella," Jake's whisper echoed through her mind as she felt his arms pull her head against his chest, kissing the top of her head. Her arms wrapped around his torso, hitching a leg onto his own and revelling in the heat of his bare skin against hers along with the new heat that resided inside of her.

"I love you too, Jake," she replied in a sleep clouded voice. She wasn't sure if she had dreamt her response or if she had actually said it, but it didn't entirely matter. She loved him, and he loved her. And it would be that way for the rest of eternity.

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_LOL well, that was my first attempt at a *ahem* "full" lemon, I suppose is the accurate term for it... I hope it wasn't too terrible! But you know what they say... Practice makes perfect! ;) Leave some feedback if you care too, and I hope that you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading!_


	24. Chapter 24

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_I am amazed every time I post a new chapter of how well received this story is! You are all such wonderful people, each and every one of you and I thank you for your kind words. It's all of you that make me want to keep writing this story! I hope you enjoy this new chapter, so as always, happy reading!_

Chapter Twenty Four

Bella's eyes opened to darkness. It was obviously nighttime, but what struck her was how silent it was. The rain had finally stopped.

Her head was still nestled against Jake's chest and shoulder, her naked body wrapped around his own, soaking up his immense heat. For a long time she lay there, content with simple thoughts of feeling his chest rise under her head, and how his arms were wrapped around her, protective even in his slumber. The sting in her shoulder had ebbed away to more of a dull ache which echoed the one between her legs. She couldn't restrain the small smile that appeared on her lips at the small reminder of what had happened earlier.

Bella had been correct in assuming that having sex with Jacob would be unlike anything she'd experienced. Unlike with her previous lovers, while they could not even understand where to begin with pleasing a woman, Jake had known exactly how to look for her signs of pleasure. And he'd hadn't entirely been himself, he'd been overcome with the mating instincts of the wolf. Bella shivered a little as fresh thoughts of what their sexual encounters would consist of when he was completely human, when his mind was a little more clear.

But still she had to wonder if he had been with any other girls before he'd been with her. It was true that she hadn't been a virgin when he had taken her last night, and yet her lack of knowledge and awkward understanding of the capacity for men while in bed made her feel like a virgin. She'd never had such an experienced partner, and although she thought it was wonderful that he was so excellent at pleasing her, Bella couldn't fight off the jealousy that bubbled in her blood.

He was _her_ Jake. _Hers._ Not anyone else's.

As she was glowering in her thoughts, thinking of things that she knew might not be true, but doing them anyway, her stomach growled loudly. She realized immediately that the last time she had eaten was at Emily's. Plus with the shock of a vampire coming to her door, and the intense lovemaking that she had gone through with Jake, it was no wonder that she realized that she was absolutely starving.

She gently tried to wiggle out of Jake's arms, but as soon as she moved, she was pulled back into his embrace, almost tighter than before. Sighing she turned her head so that she could look at Jake's face. It was slack with sleep and he looked so vulnerable and peaceful that Bella could not resist stretching so that her lips could press against his own. She placed three kisses on his lips and then tried to slip from his grasp again, only to be startled by Jake's hand winding its way through her hair and bringing her face back to his.

"What exactly are you doing, Bella?" Jake asked in a sleep roughened voice that made a shiver go down her spine. He didn't wait for her answer as he gently brought her face back to his and pressed his lips upon her. Their lips moved together in a sensual rhythm, it was much slower than earlier tonight, and Bella moaned breathily at how incredibly arousing it was. Her leg slid over Jake's other side so that she now straddled his torso and leaned over his face to get a better advantage in their kiss. Amazing, Jake let her take a small lead on him, letting her tongue sweep over his bottom lip and then invade his own mouth to tangle with his velvety tongue. The small thrill of power made Bella more confident as she kissed him deeper and placed her hands on either side of his face. Jake made a small growling noise of approval as her hips shifted on his body, seeking some kind of friction already.

And then, as if protesting, Bella's stomach growled once again, loud and long. Bella broke away with wide eyes, almost mortified that she'd made such a ridiculous sound, however Jake only laughed deep in his chest.

"My little Bella is hungry, as she should be," he said with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows. Bella rolled her eyes in an attempt to look unphased by his self-appreciation, but her blush gave away how affected she truly was. Jake let out another laugh and pushed himself into a sitting position on the edge of the bed. Pulling her legs around his waist he stood and walked through the darkness.

"Don't trip on anything, because you'll fall and squish me," Bella said to him as he seemed to move effortlessly without bumping into anything. Jake chuckled and pressed his lips to the top of her head.

"We have very good night vision thanks to the wolves, Bella. I can see everything in this room right now, no problem. And even if I did trip, of course I wouldn't squish you," he told her with a smile in his voice.

"Oh whatever..." Bella huffed, though there was a small smile on her face as well. Jake stopped finally and let Bella down onto a cold surface. She hissed as the chill touched the flesh of her backside, unused to feeling anything cold when she was with Jake. He murmured an apology as he let go of her and she barely heard him move across the room until the lights were turned on suddenly. She shielded her eyes from the light until she could get used to it then looked around the tiny kitchen Jake was standing in the middle of. The both of them were still naked as the day they were born, but she found that she didn't mind. That's not to say that she didn't turn the same color as a tomato and avert her eyes, but she was much less uncomfortable with it than she had expected to be.

If Jake had noticed her reaction, he hadn't said anything as he walked over to the fridge and nearly had to kneel down in order to look inside of it.

"What are you hungry for?" he asked her, still looking into the fridge. She found her eyes now glued to the well muscled and powerful body of her mate. His bronze skin was beautiful as it flowed over his muscles. She could see them bunching and stretching with his every movement.

"If you don't stop looking at me like that, your food is going to have to wait," Jake said, a smile in his voice. Her eyes darted back to his face which was looking at her with a relaxed expression that hinted towards what he was saying.

"Uh... Anything is good. Something easy, I can make it?" Bella said with another blush as she slipped down off of the counter. The ache between her thighs become more evident as she stood and she grimaced a bit at it.

"Does it hurt?" Jake's voice was soft as he closed the fridge and crossed back over to her. Bella tipped her head back to look into his concerned face. She gave him a reassuring smile and wrapped her pale arms around his naked waist. Her lips pressed against his torso as she spoke carefully, choosing her words so that he would not feel guilty of anything that happened last night.

"It only hurts as much as I expected. I haven't had sex in a while, so I wasn't exactly going to be... stretched and stuff... Plus you're a little bit... bigger than I expected," Bella said, glancing down at the large member between them. Even when he was soft, Jake was a bit larger than average. Briefly she wondered how he'd even fit inside of her, as well as why she didn't feel more pain. However she decided to change the subject. "To be honest, the bite hurt more last night than anything else. What was that for?"

Jake was silent for a moment and Bella took a step back to lean against the counter and look up at his face. He seemed very deep in thought, his eyebrows pulled together.

"Honestly I don't know what it was... In all of the other cases of imprinting in the pack, none of them bit their mates during their first time together. I honestly didn't mean to hurt you, Bells, I don't know what came over me," Jake said quietly. Bella understood that he was distressed and confused by his actions. Her hands found his and held them as tightly as she could while looking into his dark espresso eyes, so different from the ink-black pools she had seen just before he had taken her.

"Please don't be upset about this. It barely even hurts anymore, and besides," Bella said with a slight blush as her fingers ran over the indentations on the back over her neck and shoulder, "I sort of enjoy the idea of having your mark on me."

Jake still didn't look pleased with the idea of having hurt her, but he said nothing about it anymore. Bella squeezed his hand one last time and then let go to move around him towards the fridge.

"Let's get something to eat, I'm starving," Bella said as she opened the fridge. Quickly her face pulled into a frown when she saw that there was only a carton of eggs, a half gallon of milk, something wrapped in some tin foil and a block of cheese.

"Sorry there isn't much... Usually I eat at Emily's," Jake seemed a bit sheepish of the state of his food stocking. Bella laughed lightly and pulled out the eggs and cheese.

"That's alright. I can make an omelet. Do you want some?" she asked.

"Bells, I don't think there's enough in there to feed even a fraction of me. You eat it. You'll need your strength," he said with a smirk as she placed the items on the counter. With Jake's help she rummaged around the kitchen to find a frying pan, a plate and fork, and a bowl to scramble the eggs.

While her omelet was cooking Jake wrapped his arms around her body from behind, resting his chin on top of her head.

"I like seeing you like this," he said softly and Bella couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"What? Being naked and cooking some food?" she wondered with a chuckle. Jake laughed lightly but bent down to press a kiss to the aching mark on her shoulder.

"I mean, I can't disagree with the naked part, but I meant just being in my kitchen with me. You're so relaxed and you just seem so..."

"Happy," Bella supplied him with the word. She felt him nuzzle at the junction between her neck and shoulder. She truly had never felt more happy than she had in this moment. There was nothing in her life that could compare to the simple happiness of this moment with Jake.

"I am too," he whispered in his deep voice against her, laying soft kisses along her neck. Bella wiggled around and laughed lightly.

"Don't start something just as I'm about to eat!" she chastised lightly, a smile on her face. Jake let out a growl as he pulled his head from her neck.

"Fine, but as soon as you're done, you're fair game," he told her in his deep, vibrating voice. A thrill ran up her spine at the thought of everything they could do. Jake stepped away from her body, but not without planting a firm smack on her ass. She jumped with a yelp and turned to glare at him, but he only sent her a smirk in reply.

Once her omelet was done she walked with Jake back into the small bedroom, and sat on the bed, devouring her omelet.

"Jesus, Bells. Don't choke!" Jake said to her jokingly as she practically inhaled the food in front of her. She sent him a glare, but continued to scarf down the eggs as if it was her first meal in ages.

When she had finished, Jake took her plate and went to put it back in the kitchen since he'd turned off the lights and if Bella had attempted it, she would have probably walked into a wall. So she snuggled down into the bed and her eyes found the neon numbers of the clock on the dresser. It was no longer flashing, and instead told her that it was only a little past midnight. This day had gone by far slower than anything she'd ever experienced.

She thought back to Emily's and the pack's decision to move her onto the reservation for her own safety. Now, after a vampire had made it past the border and into this house she wondered if she'd even be safe here. Her thoughts drifted to what the vampire girl had said. She'd been trying to help her? Well... she hadn't exactly attacked her... Perhaps it would be useful to listen to what she had to say, with Jake's company of course. Not that Jake would let her get even remotely close to a vampire by herself anyway, but still, the vampire was part of that boy's family. She was bound to know something about him that the pack did not...

"You okay, Bells? You're very quiet," Jake said as he came back into the room. She could see the shadowy outline of his body as he crawled onto the bed beside her and pulled her into his arms. Again, she was overcome with the calmness that swept over her at the touch of his skin against hers. She wondered if it would always be like this... She hoped it would be at least.

"I was thinking about what that vampire said to me when she came here earlier," she responded honestly. Immediately Jake's muscles tensed beneath her.

"I'm so sorry that she got so close to you Bells. The others were leading us away from the house, and the rain was so heavy that it was hard to pick up the stray scent. We didn't even realize it was a decoy until Leah heard the leach in the house on her way back. Thank God she was fucking close enough, otherwise..." Jake was now shaking violently. Bella quickly pulled herself on top of him and stroked her fingers over his skin, letting her lips gently kiss his face, trying to relax him.

"Jake, I'm alright. I wasn't hurt, everything's fine. You know that. And besides, she didn't try to hurt me... She was warning me," Bella soothed. The tremors in his body finally slowed and his hands stroked the silky skin of her naked back.

"I don't care what she was doing, she shouldn't have been here in the first place," he said to her quietly. She could see how upset he was that a vampire had even gotten so close to her to begin with, but she had an idea that what the vampire girl had told her was much more important than he was understanding.

"But think about it, Jake. She's in the same family as the boy who was stalking me. She knows much more about him than the pack does! She probably knows his habits, his thought patterns, how he hunts! We have to talk to them! The could help us so much, can't you see that?" she asked him. He was silent for a moment, and she could tell that he wasn't happy with the idea.

"I'm not asking to go to them alone. Hell, for all I care I can stand behind the entire pack while you talk to them. But I need to be in the loop, Jake. I want to know exactly what you all are up against and what sorts of things I can do as precautions! Please, Jake," she asked him, her voice growing more passionate the more she thought about it. He had been right that she could not defend herself against a vampire and that she stood no chance on her own, but that did not mean that she had to sit completely useless while the pack risked their lives for her. She wanted to have as much knowledge about the threat to her as possible.

For a long time it was quiet. The only sounds were that of their breathing and Jake's hands gliding up and down Bella's back. And then finally he spoke.

"I will arrange a meeting with the Cullens and you will attend, but Bella there will be rules. You cannot go in front of the pack members I bring with me. You will be straightforward with your questions, since I don't want to be around those blood suckers for any longer than necessary. And lastly you cannot give away the fact that I am the Alpha. They still do not know which of us is the leader, and if they accidentally let that information slip to the rogue Cullen, he'll understand just how important you are to the pack and he'll change his tactics to more violent ones. Do you understand me?" he said to her in an extremely serious voice.

Bella nodded her head slowly, trying not to give away her excitement at the prospect of getting more answers. Jake sat up against the head of the bed and pulled her body against his, kissing her soundly on the mouth.

"I cannot lose you, Bella. Not to anything, especially vampires. I won't survive without you. I love you," Jake said with conviction against her lips.

"I love you too, Jake," she responded in a whisper. He nodded and then pressed his lips firmer against her own. She could feel the passion and utter devotion he held for her in their kiss, and she responded to it with just as much enthusiasm. There was so much at stake, but Bella was not going to let anything come between her and her Jacob. She knew that he would not live without her, but she also was beginning to see that it was the same for her.

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_Thank you so much for reading! Leave some feedback if you care too! Until next time, my lovely friends! ~W. _


	25. Chapter 25

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_Hey everyone! Thank you so much for your feedback on the last chapter! You guys always make my day with your reviews! I would like to personally thank **Moonbabyxx** for making an AWESOME banner for this story, the link to which is on my profile, but you guys should definitely check it out because it's really cool! Anyway, leave some comments if you care to at the end, and I hope you like this chapter! Happy Reading, everyone! _

Chapter Twenty Five

The next morning, after Jake had woken her early, much to her dismay, Bella found herself standing in the entry of her apartment in Forks. The roads had been a complete mess and Bella had more than one moment where she'd admit she was being a bit of a backseat driver. Jake had received word that the school on the reservation was still closed due to the clean up that had to be done therefore school would resume on the following monday. For Bella, that only meant that she now had more time to move into her new home and figure everything out regarding the meeting with the Cullens.

As she had entered her apartment a chill raced up her spine at the thought of a vampire being inside of her home. She had basically suction cupped herself to her mate's side, refusing to let go like a toddler afraid of some monsters under the bed. In fact, she was so scared that she asked Jake twice to go into each room before she had, just to make sure that there was nothing lurking inside.

"Bells, other than the meeting with the Cullens, I can promise you that a leach will never come within a mile of you for the rest of your life," Jake told her in a completely serious voice, and she knew he would never joke about something like this. She checked her phone messages and called Charlie back, letting him know that she was alright and that her power had been cut, that's why she had only just been able to call him back. She also told him that she'd found a new place to live on the reservation that was much closer to the school, and therefore, much easier for her. He'd seemed wary at first, but eventually agreed with her that the move was probably for the best.

"Where exactly am I moving into?" Bella asked as she got off the phone with Charlie.

"You'll be in my cottage," he said, "You don't mind that, do you?"

"Jake, that cottage is in the middle of the woods. The only people who are going to know you sneak in at night are the rest of the pack. I think we've passed the point of me trying to argue against you living with me," she replied.

"Well, I just wanted to make sure you were comfortable with it. I could always stay at my dad's when I needed too," he said quietly. Bella smiled gently and reached up on her tiptoes to put her hands on his neck. He seemed to understand what she was asking and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her up to his height so her lips could kiss his softly. They both sighed in contentment at the feeling, but still, Bella pulled away so that she would not be tempted to start anything in her apartment.

"I'm okay with it, Jake. Really," she smiled at him and he beamed back at her, much happier at the prospect of starting to live together. He set her back down on her feet but still kept his arms wrapped around her as she turned around to face the room.

"Where do you want to start?" Jake asked as he looked around the small apartment. Truly, there wasn't that much to bring. She would pack all of the canned food that wouldn't go bad, empty out her fridge of things that had gone bad, and bring all of her utensils and items used for cooking. She wouldn't need the TV set, but the comfortable love seat was definitely going to be a step up from the lonely chair that occupied the small living room.

If she was being completely honest, she knew that the cottage was a bit smaller than her apartment now, and yet sharing it with Jake didn't seem like a claustrophobic disaster waiting to happen. It seemed... cozy... Or maybe she was just becoming much more sappy than she'd ever imagine herself being.

"Bells?" Jake asked.

"Sorry!" she apologized for completely zoning out, "You can start in the kitchen, everything goes except for the food that's going to go bad pretty soon. I'll start packing my things," she said and he nodded behind her. He gave her a small, warm kiss on the cheek that made her heart flutter and then left to go into the kitchen. She walked towards her bedroom and began to start packing all of her belongings.

She folded up her bed sheets and stacked them into a pile, unsure if she actually wanted to switch sheets since the others smelled so perfect. Afterwards she moved on to gathering up her clothes and putting them into her suitcases, folded neatly and she wondered where she was going to put them, since the floor, unlike Jake, was not an option for her.

For about an hour the two of them packed up everything in the apartment. Bella was almost a bit embarrassed that she didn't have enough to make the move last a bit longer. She had enjoyed how they had worked in comfortable silence, sharing small touches as they'd passed by each other, silently reminding them that they weren't alone.

"I think that's everything," Bella said as she looked at the piles of things in the living room. Just after she spoke the phone rang that still hadn't been disconnected. Bella picked it up before it could ring again with Jake's fingers rubbing circles onto the flesh of her hips from behind her.

"Hello?" she asked, trying to swat his hands away. That only seemed to give him more reason and held on tighter to her hips.

"Isabella, I hope that you're alright after the storm. I see your power wasn't cut," came the voice of Mr. Molina on the other end of the phone. And just like that the world seemed to shatter around her. Bella straightened up and tried harder to wiggle out of Jake's grasp.

"Hi, Mr. Molina. No, I'm okay, thank goodness. My power just came back this morning actually. How are you?" she asked, trying to level out her voice. Despite her struggles to get away from him, Jake seemed to sense her anxiousness and began nuzzling the mark on the back of her neck, soothing her, even though she still felt nervous.

"I'm alright, but I'm calling about the school. It seems that there's been so much damage that the school will be out of commission for the entire weekend. I already issued a call to all of the student's parents, and the other faculty but I couldn't reach you so I thought I'd try again. Just wanted you to know that we'll be resuming classes on Monday as scheduled," he told her and she let out a breath. For some reason she'd suspected that he'd say something about someone seeing her with Jake over the past two days.

"Alright, Mr. Molina, thank you for the call," she said in a much calmer voice.

"Yes, yes, good bye, then," he responded and Bella hung up the phone as quickly as possible. Jake continued to nuzzle the mark on her neck and she felt that it seemed to calm her whenever he did that.

"Why do you think you marked me?" Bella asked quietly. She didn't want to upset Jake since she knew that he didn't like the idea that he'd hurt her. Instead, he placed gentle kisses along the skin he'd broken and his hot breath washed over her.

"Honestly I think it has to do with being the alpha. I'm not saying that the other imprints aren't important, because they'll carry on the blood line and that's very important to all of us. But you, Bells. You'll be carrying the future alpha, the future chief of the tribe. I don't think that the wolf wanted to take any chances in letting anyone think that you aren't ours. I don't think you can really smell it since you're a human, but trust me, after that bite, you smell exactly like me. No vampire would even dare to go near you since you are entirely marked as my territory. Does that make sense or do I sound like an asshole?" Jake wondered aloud. Bella let out a laugh and shook her head.

"No, you aren't an asshole. Actually I was thinking about how calming it is when you acknowledge it. I almost feel protected just by having it on my skin, which would only back up your theory," she responded and then thought back to something else he'd said, "So wait, I'm carrying the future Chief, so that would mean... You're the Chief right now?"

Jake laughed gently as she put the puzzle pieces together, "Technically my father still is, and until I graduate from High School he will be. It's just easier that way so I don't have to worry about school work and protecting the tribe... Even though I already do that," he told her and she nodded in understanding. Her thoughts had taken a turn down the road of thinking about what it would be like to carry Jake's child. The warm glow that surrounded her at the thought made her smile and she turned her head to give her mate a kiss on his lips.

He responded in earnest, cupping her cheek and bringing his lips firmly to his own. The heat from his body comforted her in such a powerful way that she felt as though nothing could harm her. As her lips parted and her tongue swept along his bottom lip, seeking entrance, Jake pulled away.

"We've got to stop before I throw you down on the floor and take you right here," Jake said in his deep timbre. Bella rolled her eyes at him, but shivered at the feeling of his voice cutting straight through into her bones.

"Let's get this stuff out of here, I'll call the landlord on the way, which reminds me of rent. How much is it a month?" Bella asked.

"Oh, Bells, you don't have to worry about that," Jake said as he picked up a few boxes and walked towards the front door.

"I most certainly do!" she protested as she grabbed a suitcase.

"Yeah, we'll see about that," he said with a deep chuckle as he walked out towards the large red chevy truck parked near the curb. Bell grumbled under her breath about stubborn werewolves and how of course she was going to pay rent.

"I can hear you, you know," Jake laughed as he placed the boxes into the bed of the truck. Bella rolled her eyes at him, but quickly shut her mouth and continued to help move things out of her apartment.

-8-

Unsurprisingly, her small amount of things had fit quite nicely in one trip back to the reservation. When they'd pulled up to the cottage again, Bella had gone inside to start cleaning up while Jake had been left to unpack. She managed to pick all of Jake's clothes up off the ground in the bedroom and cleared off the top of the dresser so there was no more dust. Jake had brought in the boxes and put them in their corresponding places, waiting for Bella to unpack incase he screwed anything up.

And so the rest of the afternoon went by like that. Jake helped move all of the heavy things while Bella proceeded to organize everything into its rightful place. By the time it was a little past lunch time Bella was pleased that the kitchen was organized, the loveseat was nestled in the living room with it's inviting blankets and pillows, and that all of her clothes had found a home in the dresser along side of the clean and freshly folded things of Jake's.

Unlike her old apartment she felt entirely content to be in this place. It felt like home to her.

"Hey, Bells? I have to go and phase, make sure that the pack is alright. I'm going to let them know about our plan to meet with the Cullens," Jake called to her from the living room while she put away all of her toiletries into the small bathroom off of the bedroom.

"That's fine," she called back to him. She was actually quite disappointed that he had to leave her, but she couldn't deny his responsibilities for her own selfishness. Sighing lightly she turned around and was met with Jake's broad, shirtless chest. Had her mind been functioning properly she would have been embarrassed by the gasp she let out at the sight of him. She was stunned every time she saw his body that he was hers. All hers.

"I'll be back later... I have to run a patrol after sunset. So I'll be back after you fall asleep," he said to her, a smirk evident on his face from her reaction, but his eyes were tender. Bella nodded, finally tearing her eyes away from the incredible muscles of his abdomen.

"I'll be here," she said with a simple wave of her hand, indicating her new home. He nodded and then leaned his head down to her own. Tilting her head she met his lips easily. The familiarity of their lips pressed together was overwhelming. His lips gently pried open her own and his hot, silky tongue caressed hers. The small whimper that his ministrations brought forth, caused his hands to reach around and plant a hand on each of her ass cheeks. Easily he brought her small body up into his arms without breaking their kiss.

Bella's legs tightened around his waist hoping to find some kind of friction where she needed it the most. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but since he had taken her last night, the only thing she could think about was when they would be able to do it again. Sex with Jake seemed to be like a highly addictive drug. You crave it and crave it, and when it finally happens, all you can do is wait for the next chance to have it. She moaned again as she remembered the feeling of him filling her completely.

Jake's hands squeezed the flesh of her ass through her jeans and then ran a hand slowly up her side until it rested on her breast. Through the material of her shirt, her nipple peaked and ached for him to touch it. As their mouths continued to push and pull against each other, tasting every part of them, Jake slowly circled her clothing covered nipple with the pad of his thumb. A loud moan flowed from her into his mouth and she felt his body jerk slightly in need. Between his thumb and forefinger he pinched the peak of her sensitive flesh through her shirt and rolled it just enough to drive her completely wild.

And then, he broke away from her kiss, allowing her to breath once again and he looked into her eyes. His had turned from espresso to onyx once again, but there was less animosity and instead there was tenderness.

"I'll be home later," he whispered to her, and Bella couldn't control the small whining sound she made as her head flopped onto his shoulder. He chuckled lightly and set her down onto her feet, pulling her face up to his for a much more chaste kiss. "I love you," he reminded her.

Bella couldn't help but smile, "I love you too, Jake."

His smile was blinding as he finally untangled her limbs from his own, kissed her forehead and then left the cottage. A slight ache appeared in her chest, but when she heard the loud howl of a wolf close by she couldn't help but smile. She was so close to Jake now, she was safe. The only thing she was anxious for now was the meeting with the family of vampires that lived in Forks.

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_It was a bit of a filler chapter, I know, but it had to be done! Now we can move on to the more exciting things! I hope you liked this chapter, leave me a review if you care to, and as always, thank you for reading!  
_


	26. Chapter 26

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_Seriously, you guys are so awesome, it blows me away every time! Thank you for your feedback, it's amazing as usual! I hope you guys like this chapter, and as always Happy Reading!_

Chapter Twenty Six

Just as he'd said, Jake hadn't returned until late after Bella had gone to bed. When she'd woken up in the morning she couldn't recall when he had snuck back into the cottage last night and wrapped himself around her in bed. He was now sprawled heavily on his stomach, his right arm thrown over her waist, pinning her to the sheets while his leg was draped over her thighs. It appeared that she would not be going anywhere anytime soon.

And so she let herself drift back into sleep as the sky behind the cover of clouds grew lighter as the day got later. Jake's heat acted almost like an invisible shield against all thoughts of starting this day. She found that she was more than content to remain in bed with her Jake all day. And then, the peace was interrupted by the shrill ringing of Jake's cell phone. Dazed and heavy with sleep, Bella rolled over onto her stomach and attempted to slip back into sleep while she heard Jake groan and shuffle around the room looking for his cell phone.

"Hello?" she heard his voice ask, rough and thick with sleep. It was a very attractive voice, she found.

"Yeah, I was being serious about doing it as soon as possible. I'd rather get it out of the way... I told you, it wasn't my idea, it was Bella's... Yeah, I know she is... Alright, we'll be there soon... Bye."

Bella heard the phone flip shut and she nestled into the soft sheets of the bed, waiting for Jake to return to her. Instead of feeling his body beside hers once again she jumped from surprise when she felt his lips at the small of her back. Breathing in deeply, she felt them continue a trail of scorching, open mouthed kisses up her naked flesh. Shivering, she let out a soft moan, and felt the curve of Jake's lips against her.

"It's time to wake up, honey," he whispered to her as his lips left and his fingers trailed up from her ankles, to the back of her calves and then to her thighs.

"What time is it?" she asked in a groggy voice. Blushing, she raised her head and pushed her hair away from her face. Behind her, Jake knelt with one knee on the bed, staring down at her with a warm smile.

"Time to get up," he replied with a smile.

"But I'm still tired," Bella sighed. It was only after the words left her mouth that she instantly felt embarrassed because of how whiny and petulant they sounded. Wasn't she supposed to be the older one in this relationship?

"I know, my love, but we have to meet with the pack. We're meeting with the Cullens tonight and everyone needs to understand the plan," he said to her and while she was excited that she would soon be getting answers, the only reply out of her mouth was a yawn. Jake's hands rubbed the back of her thighs gently and she hummed in contentment as she nuzzled her face back into the pillows.

Bella felt Jake's hands trail up over her ass and tug her hips so that her body was now face up on the bed, her eyes landing on Jake who had a smirk on his face while his eyes flashed mischievously.

"Do you need some convincing, Bells?" he asked in the dark, bass voice that made another involuntary shiver go up her spine and render her from any and all use of speech. Her eyes widened as she watched him kneel down at the end of the bed.

"I'll take that as a yes," he responded in his growling timbre. Bella's breathing began to grow faster as she felt his hands pull down her underwear, the only article of clothing that she had opted to sleep in, knowing that she'd overheat if she chose anything else with Jake sleeping so close to her.

His eyes never broke contact as they grew hungrier by the second. Like a skilled predator he lured her in with his gaze, soothing her with his gentle caresses back up her legs, all the way to her bare center. She should have been embarrassed by how exposed she was to him, but the only feeling she was capable of at the moment was pure lust. There were no words spoken as she watched his face lower to the soft skin of her thighs. His hands pushed her legs apart, further opening her most intimate part for his eyes. Jake's lips skimmed up her inner thigh, and then skipped directly over where she needed him to her other leg.

A small impatient noise came from her lips as he continued his leisurely kisses up and down both of her legs. Her eyes slipped closed as she tried to enjoy what he was doing to her instead of deciding whether or not to grab his hair and press him against her. For what seemed like ages he did nothing but work her up with his small nips, licks and sucks on the delicate skin of her thighs. She wondered if he was only going to tease her and then make them leave, but then he stopped his kisses.

Her body tensed slightly when she felt his hot breath wash over her lower lips. Quivering with excitement she let out a long moan.

"Jake," she pled breathlessly into the silence around them. It was as if the barrier of control broke, and almost immediately she felt the incredible sensation of his tongue parting her folds. The noises that broke free from her mouth were unlike any she'd made before. His soft, warm tongue set her body on fire as he laid a long lick up her wet flesh. Pulling apart her lips with his fingers his tongue swirled around her delicate, wet flesh, tasting every part of her most intimate part.

She was positive that she'd never expected anything this wonderful in the world. The feeling of his tongue making tight circles around the hardened bud of her clit, sucking the nub into his mouth and rapidly flicking his tongue over it. She was sure that she was going to combust right there on the bed.

His movements alternated from a fast, flicking pattern over her clit, to a slow lick, covering every inch of her soft skin. Her hips jumped off the bed at each change of speed that he made, and eventually he moved both of his hands underneath her body, holding her lower half up off the bed and against his mouth. She could not wriggle away from his relentless ministrations with his tongue and his name tumbled from her lips in pleasure as he continued his assault. She could feel her ecstasy building in the pit of her stomach. His mouth that sucked on her clit, and his tongue that bathed her intimate flesh in searing heat was becoming too much for her to handle.

Her hands found his head and fisted his short, silky hair tightly. She held his face between her legs and focused on the tight feeling that threatened to explode inside of her.

"Come for me, Bells," Jake paused momentarily to speak, still pressed against her flesh. The spring inside of her suddenly loosened rapidly as her body shuddered uncontrollably. The waves of her orgasm flooded through her body, carrying her on a tide as Jake's tongue lapped up every drop of her essence while guiding her down from her highest point. Her breathing was labored and her body still trembled with the force of her pleasure as Jake continued to place kisses and light sucks on her perfectly pink lower lips. It wasn't until her hands tugged forcefully on his hair that he finally relented and crawled up her body, a cocky smile on his face.

"You taste amazing, Bells," he smirked at her and then pressed his lips to her own. As their tongues tangled together she could pick up on the musky taste of herself and find that it didn't really taste that bad.

"I love you," she whispered to him as she broke the kiss and he smiled.

"I love you too."

"Lay down," Bella said suddenly and Jake laughed.

"Bells, we really don't have time," he said and she glared at him.

"You already wouldn't let me repay you before, don't do this again. I said, lay down," she ordered with a glare that would have melted any lesser man. She would be damned if he'd deny her repaying him once again. Jake looked at her for a moment and then shook his head while laying on his back beside her.

"I thought I was the alpha," he muttered to himself, but Bella beamed with satisfaction as she pushed herself up onto her knees and moved to straddle his lower legs. Without wasting any time she pushed down the mesh shorts he'd chosen to sleep in and was greeted with the sight of his throbbing member.

Carefully eyeing it, she crouched down so that her face was directly over it.

"Bells, I said you didn't have to," Jake said softly and she looked up to see his eyes watching her carefully. He was just as nervous as she was. She could see it clear as day.

"Have you ever gotten a blow job before?" she asked him quietly and he shook his head gently. In that moment she was struck by the fact that he was still four years younger than her. He was a teenager still, even if he did look like a grown man. Bella smiled gently at him and leaned her head down to kiss the tip of him. She was rewarded with a pleasure-induced hiss from her Jake, and damn if that sound didn't make her feel like the most powerful woman in the world.

Smirking, Bella lowered her mouth around the tip of him, using her small hand to steady him at the base. Her tongue swirled around him slowly as she began to lower her mouth as far down as she could go. Jake's loud moan seemed to travel straight from his mouth to her core and she found herself getting riled up once again.

Bobbing her head she found a steady rhythm, all while using her tongue to stroke the hot, silky smooth skin of his cock. She could hear his breathing grow heavier as each moment passed and his hands tentatively tangled into her hair. She moaned in approval of this gesture and he groaned in response to the vibrations of her noise. His hands pushed her down a bit on his cock and she relaxed her throat, accepting as much as she could, feeling him stretch her throat.

"_Fuck_," he cursed harshly he relaxed his hold on her and let her pull up once again. Her tongue worked on him and she looked up at his face under her lashes. Their eyes met and nothing had ever felt more sensual... Well aside from the feeling of him inside of her... Or perhaps his tongue against her...

"Bells," he managed to grit out between his teeth as his eyes clenched shut, cutting off their gaze. Bella moaned again and let her throat relax again, taking him as far as she could. Bobbing steady on his hard member she watched as his mouth slackened and her name was whispered harshly. And then she felt the hot, stickiness of his seed fill her mouth. She swallowed everything he gave her and gently licked his pulsing cock clean. She barely had time to finish when she was yanked up Jake's body by his arms and his hands pushed her face against his.

He kissed her without abandon, pushing his tongue into her mouth and claiming every part of her. Breathless she had to break away, but he continued to kiss every surface of her face. It was tender and passionate, and so incredibly loving.

"That was fucking awesome," he managed to pant out and she smiled through her own heavy breathing.

"I'm glad you approve," she joked lightly and then kissed his lips again.

"Oh, definitely approved of," he responded with a small laugh and she laughed with him. There were no awkward pauses between their moments. They were completely comfortable with one another, and Bella loved every second of it.

-8-

When they had arrived at Emily's, Bella was pleased that Jake had slipped his hand so easily into hers as they walked inside. Even from the entryway Bella was overcome with the loud noises of the entire pack being together. Jake's thumb soothingly rubbed against the palm of her hand and he gave her a reassuring smile as they walked into the kitchen.

Every available surface was covered in a hulking, tan body of a werewolf. As usual, the very pregnant Emily was placing food onto the table while the others launched themselves at the newly provided sustenance.

"Hey, Bella! How are you doing?" Embry asked from across the kitchen. This seemed to draw everyone else's attention as they realized that their alpha and his mate had arrived. Bella blushed slightly under the attention, but with Jake's hand in her own she smiled slightly at Embry.

"I'm alright... Just a little shaken. Kind of confused, but I guess that's why I'm here," she responded and Jake spoke immediately after.

"She's right. I want to get straight down to business so there are no questions for tonight," Jake said in his commanding tone. Bella realized that he had gone completely from the tender, incredible man that she had been with last night and had slipped effortlessly into the role of their brave and powerful leader. She smiled to herself with pride at her mate and left his side to sit beside Leah on the end of one of the benches at the table.

Leah said nothing, but instead gave Bella a small smile and dip of her head, which Bella returned as she sat down. The room had grown quieter as the pack's attention shifted to their alpha, waiting for his instructions.

"Clearly we slipped up last night when we let the girl leach get too close to Bella, but we know that she did not attack her, despite the fact she broke the treaty. The plan tonight is to meet the Cullens at the border... With Bella," Jake said, and to Bella it sounded painful for him to even suggest such a thing. Even Emily let out a small squeak from her place in Sam's arms. Bella didn't look at the others who were clearly staring at her, instead she kept her gaze on Jake's face, willing him to understand that she needed to be there, even if he was uncomfortable with the idea.

"Everyone will be phased, five will remain in the main formation that surrounds Bella while she is asking her questions and the remaining three will keep back, waiting as reserves in case this turns out to be a trap. Bella, you remember the conditions?" Jake asked her seriously, meeting her gaze solemnly.

"Yes," she replied with a resolute nod. She would follow everything he'd told her to a tee. She knew that she would be protected well by the pack, but the thought of facing a family of vampires was enough for her to understand that she stood no chance alone if she even put a toe out of line.

"Good. So, I've decided that the main formation will consist of myself, Sam, Paul, Leah, and Jared. Quil, Embry and Seth, you will be waiting in the forest behind us in case we need you," Jake explained and no one seemed to question this.

"And what happens if the Cullens do decide to start a fight?" asked the man named Paul who always seemed to be angry over something. Jake's face was serious for a moment as he looked back at Paul. Everyone waited for his answer, and when Jake finally spoke, his voice was completely absolute.

"Then we rip them apart and burn the pieces."

* * *

_I hope you all liked this chapter! Leave some feedback if you care too, and I hope you have a good day... Or night, depending on where you are! Thanks for reading! :)_


	27. Chapter 27

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_Thank you again to everyone who gave me their feedback. You are all awesome! Hopefully we'll get some answers in this chapter! Leave some feedback at the end if you care too, and happy reading!_

Chapter Twenty Seven

As the night drew closer, Bella observed the atmosphere in Emily's home shift drastically. All of the boys seem to become more tense, their eyes shifting faster and their muscles bunching and releasing, preparing themselves for the meeting that would soon be happening.

They had all been attempting to watch some television after Emily had fixed them with dinner which Bella had helped with. She had to admit that even her own nerves were beginning to fray a little bit. Within only a few hours, she would be within feet of the blood sucking, dangerous creatures of the night that inhabited Forks. She could also tell that the stress was weighing on Jake more than he was letting on. Bella knew that the idea was not one of his favorites, but by the way he made sure that for the rest of the day he was constantly touching her, reassuring himself that she was alright, made her realize just how hard this was going to be for him.

The pack was just starting to watch some kind of show about a pawn shop on TV when Jake spoke to her seriously.

"I need you to take a shower before we leave, Bells. And you can borrow some of Emily's clothes as well. You can't wear your own when we go to meet them," he told her and her brows pulled together in confusion.

"Why?" she asked quietly. It was not out of protest, but rather she truly wanted to know why it was necessary. Did she smell terrible?

"Your scent is all over me, Bells. Your clothes smell like me, and so do, you. And even though it's going to kill me for them not to know you belong to the alpha, it's too dangerous for them to know that knowledge. Not to mention they still think that Sam is the alpha of the pack so it will make a better cover. They'll hopefully assume that you were staying with Sam after what happened, out of protection," he said to her. She nodded as she digested his words.

They did make sense, and after giving Jake a small kiss on the cheek in understanding, she stood from her place on his lap. Before she could get too far, he pulled her back and brought her face back to his for a soft, languid kiss. When he pulled back she tried to give him another reassuring smile before turning to leave the living room. Emily was smiling at her from the hallway and she led her upstairs into the small bathroom. Before she left, she handed Bella a pair of plain black leggings and a white long sleeved shirt. Emily said nothing, but gave her a small smile. However Bella could see how hesitant she was. Even she didn't think that this was a good idea, but deep down Bella knew that it had to be done.

She wasted no time in showering, scrubbing her entire body down with the plain scented soap and using some of Emily's flowery smelling shampoo. The shower hadn't been more than ten minutes long, but by the time Bella stepped out, her skin was pink from so much scrubbing. She didn't want to take any chances tonight.

She didn't bother to put on her underwear or bra as she slipped on the yoga pants and shirt. She used her towel to dry her hair as much as possible, running her fingers through it, she let it hang down her back. Her eyes caught themselves in the mirror and she paused for a moment to look herself over.

For some reason she did not look the same as she had only last week. She looked different… Something in the way her head was held and the expression in her eyes… She couldn't quite explain it, but she was not entirely against whatever change had taken place.

Sighing she unlocked the bathroom door and left the steam-filled room, walking back downstairs to rejoin the pack. They were no longer in the living room and Bella found herself walking into the kitchen where she found a lonely Emily.

"Where did the boys go?" she asked softly. Emily turned, and Bella noticed she was frantically rubbing her stomach when their eyes met.

"Outside… It's almost time," she said in a cracking voice, "Are you positive that you want to do this, Bella?"

"Absolutely… I need answers about this boy that is trying to follow me. I know that they are the only ones that can give them to me, and I know that I will be safe with the pack there," Bella said calmly. She rationalized her thoughts to the woman in front of her, even though she could see that they were falling on deaf ears. Bella walked over to Emily and gave her a small hug around her delicate shoulders, "I'll make sure that everyone comes home tonight. I bet it won't even last longer than an hour!"

"I hope you're right, Bella. Here… I got these for you," Emily sighed and held out a pair of plain black sandals. Bella took them gently from her hands and thanked her as she slipped them on. With one last nod, Bella turned on her heel and walking towards the door that led to the backyard. When she walked out into the cool, dark night she immediately searched for Jake, but she saw that he was already phased into his wolf form. The enormous hulking frame of her russet wolf, her Jake stood near the tree line. Bella was suddenly confused as to why he did not come to her when Leah appeared from the tree line in her human form with a small smile on her lips, following her was both Jared and Sam. Bella assumed that the other wolves were waiting in the forest.

"It seems that you'll be riding with me, tonight," Leah said with a smirk.

"I'm sorry, what?" Bella asked in a slow tone. She didn't quite understand what Leah had said to her.

"The border is a few miles from here, and to save time, you'll be taking a little ride on Leah. In the meantime, Jake has asked the others to restrain him while we are to give our scents to your body. It's very important that you don't make any kind of contact with Jake. If the vampires smell him on you it'll be very hard for him to maintain the illusion that he plays no significant part in being the alpha. Do you understand?" Sam's deep, calm voice asked her. Bella nodded her head in the affirmative and looked around his body back at her mate, who was still standing, stock still by the edge of the forest.

As she drew herself back up straight and looked at Sam, she nodded once again, signaling that she was ready. In that moment everything happened in a flurry. Sam's arms had wrapped around her, enveloping her into his warmth, and at the same time she heard the ear splitting, irate snarl of a wolf. She jumped a mile, but Sam still did not release her. In the back of her mind she had to clamp down on the reaction to rip away from Sam and run towards her mate. She knew that this was going to be difficult, but it was part of the plan, and she had to protect the pack, no matter how uncomfortable this process would be.

Finally Sam pulled back, and she barely had time to get a glimpse of her russet wolf snarling viciously on the ground and being pinned down by three others before Jared's own hands began rubbing up and down her arms. Again, Bella shuddered in disgust at the feeling of his hands on her body. They weren't as warm as Jakes… They weren't _Jake's_. And it was so utterly wrong.

More snarling erupted near the tree line and the snaps of large jaws echoed in the night.

"Hurry it up, you guys," Bella grit out between her teeth, trying to subdue the urge to vomit at the scents that now surrounded her. Quickly Jared pulled her against him for a moment and then let go, almost throwing her into Leah's arms. It was different with Leah. She did not feel as disgusted, but still she wasn't entire comfortable. Her entire body vibrated with the need to run to Jake and rub her body against his rough, warm fur. She noticed that the growls had quieted down as she was let go of Leah and the other wolves had backed off of Jake.

He stood there, staring into her eyes with his own ink pool ones and she saw out of the corner of her eye, Sam and Jared return to the forest while Leah remained beside her.

"Ready, little bird?" Leah asked with a smirk on her face. Bella somehow found it in herself to roll her eyes at Leah's little nickname, despite how tense the next hour was going to be.

"Technically I'm older than you," Bella replied with a fake glare. Leah laughed a bit and ruffled Bella's hair as one would do with a child.

"Yeah, but I'm also way bigger," she quipped and then jogged into the cover of the forest. Bella stood alone in the backyard for a moment, just staring at the intense gaze of her mate. Every bone in her body willed her to go to him, and yet she resisted because she knew that she could not.

It was only seconds later that a smaller gray wolf trotted out of the woods and stopped momentarily beside Jake. The gray wolf yipped at him and his enormous head swiveled to the side to look at it. For a moment they stared at each other before the gray wolf trotted closer to Bella. Her heart stuttered in her chest for a moment, even though she knew that it wouldn't harm her. It was still a bit daunting to see a wolf the same size as a horse coming closer to you… Even if they did turn into a human... As the wolf laid down to the ground, Bella realized that it was in fact, Leah, who she was looking at.

Sighing she grabbed a handful of Leah's thick pelt and threw one of her legs over the side of her new found friend. Leah rose from the ground and began walking back towards the forest.

"I'm not too heavy, am I?" Bella worried gently. She was immediately aware that Jake had followed behind them directly beside Leah's back left leg. Leah responded with a bark that sounded interestingly enough like a laugh and Bella rolled her eyes again.

"I was just wondering," she snapped back as her hands held on tighter to the warm gray fur. As the dense forest closed around their bodies, shrouding them in darkness, Bella was aware at how quiet it was. The wolves barely made a sound as they all walked through the underbrush. Bella counted in her head that all of the boys were now in their second form as they all made their way towards the border.

Without warning Bella watched as a midnight black wolf appeared in front of Leah while a brown one and a silvery one also appeared on her right. Meanwhile, Jake stayed in his position behind Leah's left side. Bella realized that the wolves had made a more organized, triangular formation with the three other wolves in a line behind the leading five. Without warning Bella felt Leah begin to move faster into a trot. She barely heard her soft warning bark and had time to hold tighter to her fur before the entire pack began to run through the forest.

Bella brought her body closer to Leah's so that she would not hit her head on any low-lying branches while they ran through the dense forest of the reservation. There was a chill in the air as it raced past her body, and she severely regretted forgetting a jacket as she shivered slightly. However instead of dwelling on it, Bella set her mind on a focused path. She couldn't afford to worry about trivial things at this time. She was determined to ask her questions and get the hell out.

It was too dark for Bella to see the scenery that passed by her, but she knew that they were going much faster than it felt. Honestly, it was no different than riding a horse… Well, aside from the fur that provided an excellent hand hold. Almost five minutes after they had started running, the wolves all began to slow down. They were nearing an empty clearing in the woods, and the moonlight from the gaps in the trees above fell down onto the earth, making it easier for Bella's eyes to see.

Glancing over her shoulder she saw the three other wolves come to a stop while the rest continued walking forward. Bella turned back around and was shocked to see that there were now six pale figures standing in three pairs, all in a straight line, directly in the moonlight.

Immediately, Bella was able to recognize the small dark haired female vampire that had come to "visit" her only two nights ago. Had it truly been that long? It felt so much longer than that…

Bella watched the black wolf come to a stop, and so did the others. The silver and the brown one remained locked in their flanking positions, as did Leah and Jake. Slowly, Leah let her body slide towards the ground and with shaky legs, Bella slid off of her back. Standing alone now, Bella was overcome with the chill around her without Leah's body heat to fend it off.

Shivering slightly she squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. Then, without saying a word she took a few steps forward so that she stood directly next to Sam's side. It was eerily silent for a long moment before one of the vampires spoke.

"Isabella, isn't it?" asked a blonde male. He seemed to be the oldest out of the line, and even still he looked incredibly beautiful standing before her. The female next to her seemed familiar and with a start, Bella remembered that she was the female that had been with the other boy that had tried to attack her. Bella could almost feel the intensity of the wolves' atmosphere around her. They were waiting for these vampire to slip up just once, so that they might be able to attack them once and for all.

"Yes, it is," Bella's voice sounded much shakier than she would've liked and she silently cursed herself before she drew in a calming breath, "And you are?"

"My name is Carlisle Cullen. This is my family. My wife, Esme," he indicated the woman she remembered from the grocery store, "My son, Emmett and his wife Rosalie," he continued, pointing to the pair on his right consisting of an enormously muscled boy with curly hair and a gorgeous blonde woman, "And I know that you've already met Alice, my other daughter, and this is her mate, Jasper."

Bella cast her glance over that the tiny vampire girl and the much taller, broader looking male by her side that had chin length blonde hair. She nodded slowly in response and gave no indication that she planned to introduce the pack of wolves that had accompanied her.

"I believe that you had some information you thought I would find relevant?" Bella asked shortly. She did not want to waste any time in small talk and introductions.

"Ah, yes. We wanted to meet and speak with you in regard to our other son Edward. He is the one that you had the unfortunate run in with, which we do truly apologize for. You see, his actions were completely against what he believes in," Carlisle tried to explain while Bella set a level stare on him, "You are Edward's singer, as some call it."

"Please explain what that means," she said calmly, keeping her eyes locked with the blonde vampire.

"It means that he is attracted to the scent of your blood more than any other human's. His thirst completely overcame him when you ran into him unexpectedly and he has not been able to gain control of his rational side since then. As his mentor, I have instilled the ideas in his mind, as I have with the rest of my family, that feeding from humans is something that can be entirely avoided. However, in the event, such as this where Edward has become too unpredictable for any of us to gain an advantage and subdue him, we all agreed that we must inform you of him.

"He, like many of our kind, received a gift after his transformation. He was given the ability to read minds, as well as being able to influence other's decisions. He can essentially read a person's mind and feed them answers in order to gain their faith, trust, and devotion. He could create an army with the persuasion he wields over individuals. Especially humans who are more easily susceptible to our gifts in any case.

"Edward is the fastest out of my family. He always has been, and he is a clever boy. With his gifts, he was always able to outsmart most of the vampires he encountered. There is little he would stop at to covet what he deemed worthy of his time. And while we do consider ourselves to be his family, we do not condone his actions of attacking you. He was not in his correct state of mind, although that does not justify his actions in anyway."

When the oldest Cullen had stopped speaking, the clearing was silent once again. Bella mulled over the information in her head as she looked from one vampire to another.

"And what do you suggest if he should come back? How can he be stopped?" she finally asked.

"Honestly, Isabella, there is no advice I can give to you on that subject. While I think it is best that you stay as close to your mate as possible," Carlisle's eyes flicked over towards Jake, and her heart clenched in her chest. She barely breathed as she hoped that he would not figure out that he was the alpha, however his eyes settled back on her, "As vampire law states, if a male threatens to kill another male's mate, it is justified in a fight to the death. We have no rule over what your mate chooses to do against him, but as his family, I ask you not to kill him, should he try and attack you. He does not know what he is doing."

Bella stared into his eyes for a long time as she thought about his words. Setting her jaw with determination, she looked at him with pure conviction.

"I cannot speak for the pack, and I cannot make that promise to you," she replied to him in a cold voice, then turned around to return to Leah.

"Isabella, wait!"

Bella heard the tinkling voice of Alice Cullen and she shivered as if it had been nails on a chalkboard. Turning back around she looked at the smallest of the Cullens. She looked to be no more than a wisp of a girl, and briefly Bella wondered how old she had been when she had become the monster she was today.

"I apologize for scaring you the other day… I only meant to help you. I know it must have been terrifying for you, and also your mate… But I truly am sorry for it," she said in a soft voice. Bella did not know how to respond. Because to her it wasn't okay.

"I understand," she finally settled on as a response and then turned back to go towards Leah. Without pause, Leah's body slunk to the ground and Bella hoisted herself onto her back once again. As the wolves all turned to submerge themselves back into the forest, Bella heard Alice speak again.

"Please, call us… If you ever need anything. Our number is in the phonebook," she said, almost pleadingly. Bella knew that she felt bad for what her "brother" was doing, but she had to suppress the snort of laughter that came from her. Their number was in the phonebook? For undead creatures of the night, they sure seemed to love acting like humans…

She did not respond as she clung tighter to Leah's warm fur. Her entire body ached to be closer to Jake who walked in the same spot he had been in on the journey to the border. It wasn't long before the pack was running at top speed once again through the brush, back towards Emily's house.

* * *

_We've finally gotten some answers! Leave me some feedback if you care too, and I hope that you liked the chapter! Thanks for reading!_


	28. Chapter 28

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or any of the characters in the story._

_Oh hey there! So guess who's had some rather difficult past weeks? This girl… In a nutshell, this is what happened: I had a severe allergic reaction to poison ivy and had to go to the emergency room and was put on steroids, my parents told me and my sister they are getting a divorce, and I had to move into my new apartment only four days later… To say I've been a little scatter-brained is putting it mildly. Hopefully I'll be able to get back on somewhat of a stable track for all of you. And I'll tell you, I have no plans of abandoning this story, I promise that I will finish it entirely, but you may have to bear with me for a little while! Anyway! Thank you for all of your lovely feedback and as always, happy reading, all of you wonderful people!_

Chapter Twenty Eight

Bella slumped against Leah's body, wondering what time it was, and feeling her eyes grow heavier. She barely managed to stay awake for the entire run back towards Emily's house, her thoughts drifting closer towards unconsciousness, but when Leah finally came to a halt and lay down on the ground she jerked back into alertness. Bella had only just planted her feet on the ground when she saw Jake's hulking wolf form lay down in front of her, a soft rumbling noise filled the air and drew her towards him. She didn't bother to see where the other wolves had gone off too, or if they had phased back into their human forms. Her sole focus was on Jake.

Without any apprehension, she flung herself onto his enormous, furry body. She hadn't realized just how desperate she was to be near him again in her tiredness. Revelling in the scent and extreme warmth of his fur she gulped down greedy breaths, trying to soothe herself with his close proximity. Another low rumble filled his chest and vibrated through Bella's bones. Taking it as an invitation she threw her leg over the other side of his back and grasped his warm, scented fur. He rose back up to his feet and Bella saw how much taller he was compared to Leah. Under her body a final growl rippled through him and she clasped the handful of his fur tighter in her hands just as he began to run at a breakneck pace. Bella closed her eyes and nestled her body as close to Jake's as possible.

His warmth soothed her even more than Leah's did and her eyes began to drift shut while he pushed himself through the forest. Bella struggled to stay awake for the entire ride back to their cottage, and she was relieved when Jake finally slowed down in the trees, gently settling down in the dirt for a moment, letting her dismount.

Stumbling sleepily off of Jake, Bella caught herself and managed to get back upright, her legs feeling bowed underneath her weight. Without warning Bella felt Jake's large human arms wrap around her body from behind.

"Bella," his voice was strained as his hands rubbed up and down her arms, as if he was trying to warm her up. Slightly panicked by the sound of his voice, Bella turned to look at him.

"Jake, what's wrong?" she asked quietly, wondering what was the problem since the meeting had gone so well… At least, it had in her eyes. However, instead of letting her turn towards him, Jake picked her up off of her feet, cradling her in his arms as he jogged towards the small, dark cottage. Bella could barely see anything as Jake carried her into the house and through the dark rooms. Only moments later was a light flipped on and Bella was deposited onto the slim counter space of the bathroom sink.

Bella blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the light, and did not expect Jake's hands to make their way underneath the shirt Emily had given to her. He did not say a word as he pulled the fabric up, over her head and threw it to the ground. As he gently pulled Bella back onto her feet she realized that he had absolutely no clothes on. Blushing slightly, she tried not to make her staring too obvious. If Jake noticed, he said nothing as he leaned down slightly, grabbing the top of the stretchy pants, and rolled them down her legs, leaving her just as naked as he was.

Reaching around her, Jake turned on the water in the shower, holding his hand under it to feel for the right temperature. Bella's hands reached out to brush against his tanned skin and she was rewarded with a slight shiver under her touch. A light tap to her bare bottom was the signal for her to get into the shower, and she did so, still maintaining the silence that hung between them. It wasn't awkward, like so many silences that Bella had been through in her life, there just didn't seem to be anything that needed to be said.

The warm water ran over the top of her head and she sighed, letting the heat envelop her body. Jake was quick to follow her into the small shower and closed the curtain behind him, leaving Bella trapped in the steaming cubicle with both the hot water and the wolf man who ran a constant temperature above one hundred degrees. And although Bella's senses were on high alert with Jake so close to her, she could feel her mind beginning to slow down once again.

"I'm so tired," she breathed out in a voice that sounded very close to a whine, although she wasn't about to admit it.

"Come here, honey," was his simple reply as he opened his large arms and pulled her into his embrace. She laid her head against his wet chest and breathed deeply the scent of her mate. There was no comparison to how calming it was to her. Involuntarily she shivered at the thought of smelling the other members of the pack when they had scented her.

She felt Jake's hands run down her back and he reached over with one hand, pulling the shampoo off of the small shelf. As he washed her hair thoroughly, Bella let her muscles relax, knowing that Jake had a firm hold on her and wouldn't let her slip. He moved on to the conditioner and then began lathering up a washcloth with a bar of soap. Tenderly he covered her body in the suds, taking care to wash every part of her swaying, exhausted body. When his hand skimmed her mound a small hum of content passed through her lips.

"Tomorrow, honey. I need to get you to bed," Jake whispered to her, but it sounded far away. She couldn't tell if she had nodded in agreement or not, but she felt the water caress her skin and wash all of the soap down the drain. Letting herself fall back into Jake's arms she heard the water being turned off and saw him reach outside of the shower, retrieving a towel from the other side.

Bella stood up straighter and tried to grab the towel from him, but he gently intercepted her hands and kissed her forehead as he began to pat down her moist skin. Sighing she ran her hands over the strong lines of his shoulder and up into his damp, raven black hair. Jake quickly finished drying off his own body before he stepped out of the shower and pulled Bella with him. The light in the bathroom was turned off as Jake tugged Bella through the darkness. She was laid down onto the sheets and as soon as Jake's body was on the bed, she felt his naked body tightly pressed against her own.

Sleep began to overtake her mind entirely as she lay there, feeling Jake's hands run a circuit through her hair, then down the curve of her back to the top of her ass and back.

"Thank you, Jake. For letting me do that," Bella managed to say through the thick haze of exhaustion.

"You're welcome, Bells," Jake's whisper was the last thing that she heard as she finally fell over the edge of consciousness and into sleep.

-8-

Bella's entire body felt as though it was on fire. She could feel the delicious coil in her abdomen as it tightened. Her mind still flickered through glimpses of memories that she shared with Jake. In her dream she let out a loud moan at the thought of his tongue on her. Gently licking up her slit and sucking on the small pearl of nerves in a way that drove her wild. In the back of her mind she could feel herself become more aware of her surroundings as consciousness swept over her, but she struggled to remain asleep so that her pleasurable dream could continue.

"Bella, wake up for me," Jake hummed and Bella swore that she could feel the vibrations on her aching clit. With a loud gasp of clarity, Bella's eyes wrenched themselves open and she found herself laying on her back with Jake, not beside her, but instead with his head buried between her legs. Another moan, this one of complete awareness broke free from her lips as her hips jumped upwards, closer to Jake's attentive mouth.

At his realization that she was finally awake, Bella felt Jake's lips with more intensity. His tongue swept over her aching flesh and flicked deliciously against the sensitive skin.

"Oh fuck, Jake," Bella moaned again as her hips twitched against his face. She felt his hands take hold of her wiggling hips, stilling them and holding them fast against his mouth. Bella's breathing came in loud gasps as she attempted to move away from his suckling lips and slow the rapidly building pleasure that he was giving to her. However his hands tightened and his tongue tapped against her clit in the most perfect way, and her body tensed incredibly.

"Come for me, Bells. Now," Jake's deep timbre voice vibrated directly against her swollen bundle of nerves and she had no choice but to obey his command. Her back arched painfully upwards as her orgasm ripped through her body. Sweeping her under the enormous feeling of pleasure. For a moment Bella was convinced that she was in heaven and that she had in fact, died from the pleasure. It seemed to be never ending as it flowed through her shivering body and when she finally calmed enough to be aware of her surroundings again she could still feel Jake's tongue gently sweeping over her pussy. A breathless moan escaped Bella as her hips gently moved against the softness of his tongue.

"You taste so fucking good, Bells," Jake practically growled as his mouth remained attached to her slick skin. Bella could do nothing but whimper in response to his words and lay under his ministrations. Her body felt boneless, however her hips rocked slowly against his mouth, with a mind of their own as he devoured her. Time began to slip away from her as she felt his lips suckle, kiss and move against her pussy. The only thing she was aware of was the pleasure. He brought her once again to the precipice of ecstasy with the velvet heat of his tongue and as she dropped off of the edge and tumbled through her orgasm, he prolonged it for as long as possible.

In a boneless, panting heap, Bella lay sweating on the bed. Jake's head finally unburied itself from her thighs as he kissed up her body. He paused briefly to lay kisses on her nipples and then up her neck. When he finally reached her lips he did not hesitate and pressed a deep, heated kiss to her lips, forcing his tongue through her parted lips. She was shocked at the flavor on his tongue and then relaxed when she realized that it was herself that she tasted.

As he kissed her his hand tangled deep into her hair while the other held his body above her. Her lips fused to his and her arms wrapped around his hot shoulders, pulling her body as close to his as possible.

There was a slight pause in their kiss as Jake pulled back, and as Bella's confusion clouded her mind for a moment, it was quickly replaced with complete pleasure as Jake pushed inside of her. A long moan burst out of her as her eyes fluttered closed at the sensation of being so completely surrounded by her mate. The feeling of him filling her so entirely made her walls flutter around him.

"Fucking Christ, Bells," Jake managed to grit out between his teeth as his hips snapped forward, making sure he was completely sheathed inside of her. Bella could no longer form a coherent thought as she felt his hardened cock sliding in and out of her at a maddening pace. It was just slow enough to tease her, but at the same time she felt overwhelmed by every sensation he was giving to her.

As breathless whimpers escaped her mouth, her arms wrapped around his strong shoulders and pulled his body directly against her own. She felt his own arms wrap around behind her back and under her neck as his hips continued to move in an unwavering pattern.

"You're mine, Bella. I love you so much," he whispered with his lips pressed against her ear, giving the hollow under her ear a sweet kiss. His words made her shiver with the knowledge that it was absolute truth.

"Jake. My Jake. Always," Bella breathed out against the skin of his shoulder, tightening her arms around him. Without warning she felt Jake move backwards, sitting on his heels and she found herself on top of him. His hands found purchase on her hips and he helped to move her body along his length, never faltering in the rhythm he had first started with. Bella's eyes found his and she looked into the dark brown orbs. She knew that the man was still with her, but something under the surface lurked closer and closer.

"I love you," she said to him as she leaned in to kiss him, tangling her hands in his silky raven colored hair. A small whimper came from Jake as he responded to their kiss and she felt one of his fingers deftly find her swollen and sensitive clit. Ripping away from his lips a hiss of pleasure came out of her. The feeling was unbearable since she was already so sensitive, but as Jake's head lowered and he took one of her puckered nipples in his hot mouth, Bella realized that she was rapidly approaching the edge of her orgasm.

"Jake… Fuck…. Oh God…" her words were barely a whisper as she clung to Jake. He moaned loudly as he switched to the other breast, encouraging her through his actions, and with one more firm flick of his tongue over her nipple, and feeling of his cock steadily filling her, Bella was flung head first into what had to be the most intense orgasm of her entire life. She felt her lips moving as her walls clenched around Jacob. He continued to thrust deep inside of her body, letting her orgasm become more dragged out as the stimulation continued. She wasn't sure how long she had been in an entirely other state of mind, completely overwhelmed by the bliss, but she she finally became aware of her surroundings again, she was met with the intense gaze of her mate. Her Jake.

She spoke no words as she leaned forward and captured his lips in a searing kiss. Their tongues stroking languidly and mirroring each other movements perfectly. She could still feel the aftershocks of her orgasm as Jake still moved inside her, much slower now than before. As she pulled away from the kiss, she looked deep into his eyes, still seeing the darkness of the wolf lingering close near the top. She realized he was holding back the wolf, but for what reason she was unsure of.

"Don't you dare hold back, Jacob Black," she said to him in what she hoped was a stern voice. Immediately there was a shift between them and a deep, possessive growl rippled through his body.

"You shouldn't have said that, Bells," he replied in a commanding timbre, a slight smirk on his lips. She could see his demeanor slip drastically from being the sweet, protective, human Jake into the commanding, alpha male. Bella couldn't help but shiver in pleasure at the thought of the last time he had gone into his wolf-state, and she recalled the bite mark that made her his. Almost as if he had read her mind, Jake nestled his head against her neck and she felt his teeth scrape over the mark he'd given to her. Another primal growl filled the air and Bella felt Jake slip out of her. A small whimper and shiver was her reaction to feeling so empty, but Jake soothed her with his hands as he flipped her body around and pushed her onto her knees.

"Fuck Bells, you look so good like this. Your pussy all pink from me fucking you and your ass up in the air," Jake said to her in a rough, bass voice. Bella's breathing hitched at Jake's blatant dirty talk, but her thoughts were stunned when she felt his hand deliver a firm, stinging slap to the flesh of her ass.

"So fucking perfect, and you're all mine," Jake growled. Bella whimpered from the heat that the smack had given to her skin and she wiggled her hips slightly, asking for more without any words. Another smack was delivered to her ass and she moaned into the sheets of their bed, her upper body falling forward, her ass remaining in the air like some kind of offering. Bella panted and found herself shaking with anticipation, despite the fact she had already received multiple orgasms. When it came to her mate, enough would never be enough.

With another possessive snarl, Jake seated himself fully back inside of Bella's warmth. A long, loud moan was how Bella responded to the feeling, and confident in her pleasure, Jake began to set a punishing rhythm. Bella let her mate thrust into her body, filling her entirely each time and surrounding her body with his heat. She could feel the sweat pooling on her back and neck, and her breathing became ragged as he filled her with pleasure. The tightening of her abdomen signaled another orgasm rapidly approaching and her walls fluttered slightly. Jake continued the possessive pace and his hands grabbed her hips, pulling her body back towards him every time he thrust forward. The sound of their skin slapping together, to Bella was the most erotic thing she'd ever heard.

"Who do you belong to, Bella? Tell me," Jake growled from above her.

"You, Jake. Always you," she whimpered into the sheets, her orgasm starting to take hold of her. Making her body seize in anticipation.

"That's right, baby. Always… Fuck!" Jake's rough voice was enough to make Bella finally fly over the edge. Her walls gripped him tightly as her orgasm rocked through her body, making her quiver uncontrollably. She felt as though she was underwater, and somewhere far above her she head Jake's roar as he reached his orgasm as well, thrusting into her body forcefully as he spilled his seed inside of her. She felt Jake lift her body off of the bed and lean it back against his own, his face falling to her neck and shoulder and his teeth biting down in the soft flesh.

Bella was jerked out of her dream-like state by the small sting of the bite, but it didn't hurt nearly as much as it had the first time he'd done it. She could still feel his heat, almost flowing into her, and at the same time it was as if their souls touched, and intertwined. His soul wrapped around her own, encasing it, and protecting it from all outside forces.

Finally Jake's teeth released her skin and his hands left her body. Unable to keep herself up, she swayed forward and landed on the bed.

"Oh, shit, Bells! Are you okay, honey?" Jake's voice asked her gently, his hands working to flip her over onto her back. Bella nodded her head, a small smile on her lips as she tried to regain her breathing. Jake started to move around and she watched him go into the bathroom. She faintly heard the water turn on in the bathtub and when he returned she let out a whine.

"Don't make me move," she said to him, unashamed that she was whining. She believed she deserved to whine over moving after being fucked so thoroughly. Jake only laughed lightly and gathered her body into his arms. Jake brought her into the bathroom and leaned down to set her into the filling tub. As the hot water touched her stinging bottom she hissed and hugged herself tighter to Jake. He laughed again, but she found herself getting used to the temperature and settling into the water. Jake shut off the tap as she submerged her body in the water, revelling in how the heat relaxed her. Jake turned to leave and Bella made a small noise of protest.

"Where are you going?" she asked quietly, not wanting him to leave her.

"I'm going to change the sheets, honey. I'll be right out here, you just relax okay?" he said to her with a small smile. Bella nodded hesitantly as she lay back in the tub once again. She could hear small rustling movements out in the bedroom and she began to lather her body up in soap. She wanted to be back in Jake's arms, not this far away from him.

Just as she was rinsing the suds off of her body, Jake walked in. His face looked slightly disappointed.

"I wanted to do that," he pouted slightly and Bella giggled a bit. She pulled up the drain plug and raised her hands up for him to take. He helped her out of the tub and gently wrapped her in a towel before bringing her body back into his arms. Content that she was back with her mate, she lay down on the bed and had him wrap her up in his embrace.

"That was really good," Bella commented thinking back on their sex session. Jake chuckled and kissed the mark on her shoulder.

"That was fucking incredible," he corrected her and they both laughed. For the rest of the afternoon they spent their time being as close as possible to one another. Reveling in the warmth and love that surrounded them. They dozed and woke to the other's kisses and they talked about various things, some meaningful, and some completely pointless. But to Bella, she had never had a more perfect day in her entire life.

* * *

_I thought I'd give them some good loving before it's back to school for Bella and Jake! I hope that was a good chapter after making up for being away these past couple weeks. Like I said, my brain is all over the place with all of the recent events happening in my life, but I promise that this story will get finished! Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed while I was away, and if you care to, leave a comment on this chapter! Thanks for reading! :)  
_


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